Rwby Fables
by Blazeburner14
Summary: Follow the story years after Salem's defeat after preventing the Grimm Eclipse. Watch as New Beacon generation such as Team DARK and Team ZBRA take on the challenges involving school and new rising dark comings.
1. Chapter 0 : The Beginning of It All

**Chapter 0 : The Beginning of It All**

 **"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE LEAVING!?"**

It was close to the ending of winter with spring around the corner, off in the moon lit night distance in the reforming city of Vale in the white covered tending courtyard of Beacon, stands two familiar individuals. Weiss Schnee, the beautiful white bathed former heiress to the Schnee Dust Corporation. Before her stands her dear friend, the Red Maiden Silver Eyed Ruby Rose.

It's been a good year or two since they've returned to Vale after their quest. They started to aid Ms. Goodwitch and the remaining students in the reconstruction of Beacon. Just hours ago Weiss was called by Ruby to meet her in this spot at midnight and bring no one else with her, not Blake, not Yang, not Jaune...no one. Puzzled by this sudden unusual behavior from Ruby, Weiss decides to comply and see what this is about.

But this...she never expected this. Not after everything they been through. Not after so many have died for their cause. We won...we defeated Cinder, we stopped Salem's plans, we prevented the Grimm Eclipse...WE AVENGED PRYHAA! So why...why is she leaving? If she had known...she would have brought somebody...anybody to help talk some sense into her.

Though hurt by Weiss's reaction to her sudden decision, Ruby stands firm and repeats herself once more, "I'm sorry Weiss, but I have to leave to hide once more the Four Relics and the Maidens. Afterward, I won't be coming back. I'll be taking the secrets of the Relics and Maidens with me to prevent further-"

"I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!", Weiss shouts once more choking on her sadness with tears running down her face, her eyes not once leaving Ruby's. "What I do, no, REFUSE to understand is why YOU have to do this, not just now, PERIOD! If you're so worried about the relics or the maidens falling into the wrong hands again, we'll just hide them just like your uncle did. JUST LIKE OZPIN DID! You don't have to-".

"AND YOU SAW HOW THAT WORKED!", Ruby shouts out to her friend making it clear that she doesn't like this idea as much as Weiss does. But she can't deny one thing, sadly, this is the only act that has the most possible lead to success. She believed if she stayed, if she allowed themselves to hide away everything the same way Ozpin did, it would only be a matter of time until something else comes for everything they worked so hard - lost so much, to save and protect. Maybe something worst then Salem or Cinder.

But if only one person hide the Relics, if one person relocated the Maidens...if there was so much as a one percent more chance to fully succeed in their quest, she had to take it. Ruby looked up to her Weiss, someone she trusted and loved more than anything and continued, "I don't want to do this Weiss...I truly wished I could think of another way, but this is all I have to offer. All I have to play with...I'm sorry..."

"And I'm supposed to not tell them where your going, what you're DOING!? We're your friends, your team, your FAMILY!", Weiss not giving up continues to talk Ruby down, but is running out of cards to play. "Don't leave, please. We can figure this out like a team, rememb-"

!

Weiss's words freeze in place due to the sudden hug she receives from her dearest of friends. She closes her eyes in embrace catching the scent of cherries.

Feeling Ruby leave the embrace, Weiss lets go and stands in defeat as Ruby widens the distance between them with her back towards her, presenting the Fabled Crescent Rose. Ruby stops for a moment, just a moment, and turns to Weiss once more, though in tears forcing her trademark smile for her friend once more, saying three final words before vanishing into the winds leaving her other trademark Red Rose Petals.

"I love you..."

Weiss wakes up in her office chair of the Headmistress / Deans office of New Beacon.

With spring time sun light shining through the windows, she rubs her eyes wondering both how and when did she fall asleep. As well as how long has it been since she that dream.

Her attention is drawn to the sound of Bull Heads approaching her school, reminding her of the new freshmen class's arrival.

Headmistress Weiss rises from her chair and reaches out to her tablet. Stopping short as her eyes catches the sight of the Team RWBY picture on her desk.

"Those were the days were they..." Weiss shakes her head, straightening herself up, she goes out the door.

"Let's see what this year has for me..."


	2. Chapter 1 : Coming of the New Generation

**Chapter One : Coming of the New Generation**

In the center of the great rebuilt city of the Kingdom of Vale, lies New Beacon Academy. Once in ruin due the dreadful event known as "The Battle of Beacon", with the aid of newly allied Four Kingdoms and the many sacrifices of great people, Vale has been rebuilt with all it's fabled glory.

Wandering down the halls of the newly formed Beacon with the sound of her clicking heels echoing along the walls is the appointed Headmistress/Dean of New Beacon, the beautiful White Princess - Weiss Schnee. Reading over her files of the coming new students of her school, she makes sure everything is in order. ( You know, being Weiss ).

As she looks over her files, she happens to look at the time on her scroll tablet, she's two minutes behind schedule. "While, she's not gonna let me live this down.", Weiss thinks to herself as she knows who's waiting for her, and she doesn't like to be kept waiting. Her eyes the date on her scroll. It has been five years since she was appointed Headmistress of New Beacon after Ms. Goodwitch's retirement, however most important, it has been a good twenty years since Ruby left everyone, including her. And she hates to admit it, but maybe Ruby was right. Everything was the way it should be; no Relics to fight over of protect, no Maiden to attack or watch over.

She truly feels like they all indeed won that terrible fight they fought long ago.

..."BUT SHE COULD AT LEAST CALL OR WRITE!", Weiss mentally shouts out of annoyance.

"You're four minutes behind schedule. That's a record I'm gonna have to write down.", Weiss's ears causes a familiar voice thus causing her eyes to look at her greatest friend and right hand. Before her with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face is the beautiful midnight haired Faunus serving as Assistant Mistress of New Beacon, Professor Blake Belladonna. Upon becoming Headmistress of Beacon, Weiss needed someone she could trust to stand by her side fully, she chose Blake of all people. They've been through so much together that to her it would be wrong to chose anyone other than Blake. Weiss sighed rubbing her face knowing full well knowing that was what Blake intend to do as said Blake joined the walk to meet the new students.

"Please don't. I already have much coming into my hands as it is, it's actually a wonder how those two managed this for so long and can their secret a...well secret." Weiss responds with her trademark straight face, eyes returning to her tablet. "Well, we don't have to worry much of those do we? So far, it's been easy; the usual Grimm calls, gangs raids, border patrols. This is basically our retirement from our long road." Blake humorously states with her usual honesty, while catching the air around Weiss she hasn't felt for a long time. Still in motion, she puts one hand of Weiss's shoulder, her cat ears dropping with her voice in a tone of worry.

"You had that dream again didn't you?".

Weiss slows down her pace, remembering the day that she made the hard decision. She broke her promise to Ruby - She told Blake. It was her second year as Headmistress of New Beacon when she decided a out of all people, she had to tell Blake. She solely remembers Blake's outburst as she claimed that she had no right to keep this secret from them despite promising Ruby.

Yang left them, left her to solely search for Ruby a good two days after Ruby's "disappearance". To Blake if she had told them why Ruby left before hand, Yang would still be here. But after sometime Blake learned that Ruby had reason and forgave Weiss, still standing by her side. No one within the walls of New Beacon knows of Ruby's situation as to the why she left.

"I'm fine, it's nothing to worry about.", Weiss is brought back by the school announcement of the Bull Head's arrival. She straightens herself up and makes way to have everything ready for the new year's student body, "Now then, let's go properly greet our students shall we.".

Blake lets go of the topic for now as she follows Weiss, "Sure...", Blake agrees as she smirks and follows with some honest humor,

"...Hopefully this years freshmen is more interesting than last years..."

"Blake..."

"Do you have any idea how dull they were?"

"Blake!"

"They had a whole two semesters to impress us and they blew it!"

"Blake!"

( The Front Gate, Outside New Beacon Academy )

Remember your first day in college? Oh yeah.

Getting out of the Bull Heads were countless soon to be students of New Beacon. Numerous students both human and faunus alike are gathering here as their first step into becoming Huntsmen and Huntresses. Some are gathered with old friends, some are looking to make friends; one in this crowd in particular, seems to not have the same interest as the bunch.

Getting out of the labeled Bull Head X-Mark 2 is a light skinned young human man who would seem out of place if you met him. His dark red bed-hair and amber eyes, along with his straight face seem to make him stand out as the labeled lone wolf kind of guy.

He's dressed wearing a slate gray combat vest with red wrist band sleeves over top of his black shirt which has a symboled red phoenix off to the left side, the same color as his seemingly comfortable zip-up red neck scarf wrapped around his neck. He's wearing black jeans along with combat easy boots with the top portion wrapped in the ankle sleeves matching the color of his neck scarf.

 _"Why is everyone so loud? I have at least a good five minutes of quiet?"_

Not like everyone else around him, he is solely walking by himself, eyeing everyone who walk by him. With bag in hand he continues his walk over to the school in intentional silence.

"LOOK OUT!"

Then this happens... As he turns to see whats going on, but the only thing managed to catch was some girl crashing into him. She looked up him still in haste, the boy was still able to make out the fact that she wasn't human noticing the ears on her head.

"You didn't see Alice!", the girl states as she jumps into the bushes, leaving him in awe as he wonders just what the hell is going on!

And who is Alice?!

"HEY YOU!", a another voice shouts from behind him and it was not happy.

' _Great, now what_ ', as he internally states as he turns around and sees...and he is by no means making this up, some guy who was about his age however his left eye brow seems to be shaved off and someone had put pink lip stick on his lips. Like, dude. What happened to you?

"Did you see a Faunus chick run by here?!" The boy wanted nothing to do with this honestly, but unfortunately he had to play with the hand he was dealt, he sighs and points towards the opposite direction of the bushes towards the courtyard with uninterested narrowed eyes, "Yeah...she went that way."

"Thanks man!", who ever he was he sure as hell made haste towards the courtyard. He waits until the guy was out of range and sight and calls out towards the bushes.

"Okay, I don't know who you are, but he's gone now.", with that said the girl leads from the bushes and delivers a hug to her savior. Letting him go, he managed to get a good look at her.

Minus the noticing...black topped dog ears I guess, she was a tab bit darker than he was, her hazel browned eyes matched her dark brunette hair that reaches down to her shoulders. She was clearly from Vacuo wearing outback like attire. She is wearing a navy blue jean sleeveless jacket over top her red shirt addition to a protective plate that solely covered her right breast. Why not both, he really didn't what to ask. Hey, her funeral. Anyways, as he traveled downward, and quickly evading her exposed belly button and her well curved figure, she's wearing jeans the same color of her jacket addition to gray topped protective knee pads, finishing up her attire with light brown combat boots and cloth gloves exposing her finger tips.

He looks back up her face, meeting her strange smile as she snickers at him. As he tries to speak, the girl beats him to it. "Alice thanks you greatly! That guy had Alice mistaken for someone else, but Alice can only be Alice right? Anyway, Alice's name is Alice dear friend. What your name?"

...Is...is this girl a retard? Something does feel off here. He just doesn't know what it is. Not sure what to do, the boy could only sigh once more and give out his name to Alice,

"Duran..."

( Back at the Bull Head Drop Off Point )

"I did it...I'm here."

Exiting another Bull Head, was a white skinned young boy with black hair with green eyes, his wearing a white hoodie sweater with green designs protective plate in select areas such as his upper torso, his right shoulder and both sides of his waist. He's wearing a black sports jeans with green strips going down said jeans, coming to his sports shoes.

He stares at New Beacon Academy remembering his countless trials to get here, balling up his fist, smiling with victorious delight, he takes everything in.

"I made it!" "Um...excuse me?", the sudden quiet toned female voice draws his eyes to the pair of violet eyes behind him, she's apparently cloaked with a purple veil that covers the lower part of her face...nice...as to he can barely see the rest of her body, but her violet eyes and slightly pale skin goes along with her snow-like silver long straight hair and...wait, are those...bat ears?

"Um...", he's drawn to her eyes once more as she speaks in a quiet tone. "It's nice you feel that way, but you're...kind of in the way.".

The boy looks behind the girl coming to notice that during his past few moments, he is still in the way of the door out of the Bull Head as he sees a bunch angry eyes upon him. His first day at New Beacon and already he was off to a bad start.

"Ah...Yeah, Sorry"

Oh yeah, we're off to a great start aren't we?


	3. Chapter 2 : Night of the New Generation

**Chapter 2 : Night of the New Generation**

Still outside of New Beacon, walking down the courtyard we catch the white green sweater knight known to us as Alex Crosshart. He currently walks with embarrassment due to his latest blunder at the Bull Head docks as he tries to avoid eye contact with anyone.

Walking next to him is the now known to him bat Faunus girl...strangely her name is Rena Rena. Rena Rena occasionally glanced Alex's direction still seeing him down about what just happened earlier at the Bull Head. Breaking the silence she decides to speak first, "Are...you well?".

Alex turns to the girl he just met moments ago, slightly embarrassed of himself to even look at her, however as always like his father would him 'look on the bright side and good things will happen'. Like, hey he met her right, that's a good sign. Alex pulls off his trademark smile ( Similar to Jaune's ) and puts her mind at ease, perhaps try to be friendly, "Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing to get down over right? Like, if I let this down me, what right do I have to be here?".

The results were opposite, to Rena Rena, he just came off...weird. She gave him a pondering look and stated, "You know that a simple 'yes' would have been sufficed right?"

"Great. Made a fool of myself twice in a span of less than a hour.", Alex drops his head in a defeated embarrassment. Again. "Well, I suppose you'd want this conversation short.", Alex jolt back at the bat eared Faunus girl, wondering why would she say such a thing. Alex staring at Rena Rena, "Why would you want that?".

This, of course, leaves her puzzled about the boy again, leaving her wondering, "Aren't you afraid of me?". Alex raises an eye brow, not once looking away from her and asks her a question. "Why would I be?". Rena Rena, of course, blinks with puzzled expressions once more.

Before she could speak again, Alex offers her a chose, "Look we're going the same direction right? Let's both go together. And if you you don't wanna hang out after that, than by all means I'll respect that." Not sure what to do, Rena Rena chuckles at the boy's strangeness under her cloak and accepts his offer. Thus the two wander towards the Academy.

She's not sure what this boy is, but she feels...I think, light around him. In the path of their walk, some guy ran right past him...and they can't make this up, his lips were covered with pink lip stick and his left eye brow was shaved off.

...Okay, that was weird _

( New Beacon Amphitheater )

"What's the point for this big room?" "A question for Alice to...hopefully answer." Duran walks into the Amphitheater with his self-proclaimed friend Alice walking into a crowd of people who are gathering for the arrival for the Headmistress. Duran reminds himself that he hates crowded places as he tries to work his way through the crowd reaching the center of the area, bumping into numerous people along the way.

"Hey Alice right? Try to wa-", as Duran turns to look for Alice, she is no where to be seen. "Guess this means I'm done playing babysitter."

As Duran turns to continue, he bumps into someone else...

"HEY!"

"Great, what now?", Duran thinks as he turns to see the owner of the voice is indeed a female, again, dawning light pale skin with long white hair that appears short but corrected with the wrapped ponytail coming around her right shoulder, she held a stern face with her brown eyes through her glasses of which Duran is sure she doesn't need, she was wearing a black button up scholars shirt bearing white designs and stripes under a white and blue school-like vest which had that back of the vest went to her ankles like wings while the front portion lead only to waist. She is wearing black jeans and instead of a belt, it looks like she had taken a rose blue colored scarf and wrapped it around her belt loops giving it an interesting design look that went along with her high heel boots. She'd look great actually, if she wasn't angry right now as she goes on a full rant.

"Would it, perhaps, kill you to look where you're going from time to time? I mean granted it's a bit crowded, therefore someone like you has an excuse, but you could at least...are you listening to me!?". To answer that question, no...Duran wasn't. He seemed to have lost interest completely half way and was wondering how long she was gonna keep this up.

Not wanting her to continue, Duran raises one apologetic hand and gives her a cynical apology as he goes to leave, "Look, I'm sorry, had a full day on he and I wasn't paying attention. I'll be on my way." As he turns to leave, the girl calls him back as she grabs his wrist to prevent his escape. Seriously, what's with him and women today! "Oh no no no, don't think you're getting off that easy with THAT apology! Who do you think you are?".

Okay, now she's pushing it.

Duran quickly swipes his hand away from this girl and is about ten seconds from letting her have it, that was until he heard the intercoms go off. Both amber and blue eyes look towards the stand, there the saw a woman with snow white hair about in her mid-twenties close to her thirties at least. She taps on the microphone to gather everyone attention. Standing next to her is a raven haired Faunus bearing car ears with amber yellow eyes.

"It's her."

"It's Weiss Schnee..."

"The former Heiress..."

"The Headmistress..."

Weiss taps the microphone again to get everyone's attention and performs her speech...

"Hello to you all and welcome to New Beacon Academy. You have come a long way, traveling here from places your own, in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and once you have finished, will hopefully plan to dedicate your lives to the protection of the people..."

"Sounds like she rushed this."

From Ms. Schnee's speech, along with mystery girl, Duran's attention is drawn to the biggest dude he's ever seen. Stand at least a good six feet - nine inches tall, stands a light skin muscle wrestler looking man dawning brown eyes, black hair with slate yellow horns coming out, simplifying that he's a Goat Breed Faunus. He's wearing a black top under red-golden armor protecting his torso, shoulders, waist, and below the belt (-Kind of a roman warrior attire without the stupid helmets-). He's wearing black shorts and boots under sollerets (-or plated boot guards-) the same color as his armor.

As Duran is about to ask his name, he is brought back to Headmistress's Schnee's speech once more, don't it came to be a serious tone...

"...But as you stand before me this moment, all I see is lost children with great, but wasted potential. You believe that the knowledge you will gain here will free of this, will point you in the right direction, but you're wrong. Your time here at New Beacon will indeed prove that knowledge will only take you so far as to the road you want to take. Question is, can you take the first step?".

With this, Weiss leaves the microphone as Blake takes her turn making a brief announcement, "Since there's more of you then last year, you will all gather in the ballroom for tonight; get plenty of rest for tomorrow; your initiation begins. You're dismissed.", with that Blake leaves the stands.

"Initiation...", Duran states with curiosity watching the Headmistress leave the stands.

"You must be daft, if you don't know about field test initiation. It's-" the girl calls out to him in a stern tone, but is immediately stopped by Duran who seems to have enough this girl completely.

The sooner he's through with her the better. "I know what a initiation is four eyes. I wasn't born into your world but just a few moments ago and truthfully I want out of it.". "One, my name is not four eyes, it's Kira Tabito and I suggest you remember it. Two, than by all means, wish granted." the annoying girl now known to him as Kira Tabito turns around and makes way towards the ballroom.

Leaving Duran alone with Goat Man. "Name's Ross, by the way..." Duran looks at "Ross" with a look of "are you freaking serious right now?". _

On the other side of the amphitheater, Alex watched the entire speech along with Rena Rena, who has decided to stay with him. "Wow, that was...intense. What do you think Rena?". Rena Rena looked at Alex and nodded her head with a sense of agreement, however, she couldn't deny the sense of honesty in the speech the Headmistress just gave.

"At least she was honest about it. The worst thing a person can do is lie to you.". Alex looked back at the stands and watches the two teachers leave, making a mental note of the initiation is where his true skills shall be placed to the test. He feels a tug from Rena Rena on his shirt again and begins walking again. Towards the ballroom where the night will be spent. _

( New Beacon Halls )

"That was some speech. Do you enjoy watching new bloods shake in their boots?", Blake walks next to Weiss as they leave the amphitheater as she comes to mention the speech Weiss gave. Weiss looks back at Blake with a straight face smirk and raises her hands, "A little. How's Jaune with the preparations?". Blake rolled her eyes at Weiss's response as she gives her report, "He says he'll be done by tomorrow morning. No major Grimm in sight. Not with Nora there he claims.". Weiss looks back at her tablet, on it says "Emerald Forest". _

( The Ballroom )

Off in the corner of the Ballroom, we catch Duran in nothing but a black tee shirt and a pair of jeans while still wearing his red zip-up neck scarf, using his bag as a pillow. Today has been a crazy day for him to say the least, he met a faunus who was to hyper for her own good, a bitchy girl who seemed to have a thing of judging people at first glance and a goat man...I'm not sure yet.

As he tries to close his eyes to hopefully get some sleep, he feels some sit next to him, he looks up and sees that it's Ross from before, "Don't mind do you?". Duran looks at Ross pondering his decision into sitting with him thus answer, "Sure, why not.".

With that, Ross sits next to him. As Duran tries to closes his eyes again, he hears a commotion erupting before him, causing Ross to speak again, "That looks ugly...". Duran shrugs his shoulders keeping his eyes closed, "Not my problem...". He soon ate his words as he sees that girl from before...Alice I think it was, catch in the middle of it. Against his better judgement, rises to to see what's going on.

"Hey back off!"

Duran reach the center of the crowd where he catches Alex in a defensive stance with Rena Rena behind him, she not wearing her cloak this time therefore you come to see her in her pajamas involving a purple tee shirt and black sweat pants with pink hearts on them.

Alex is standing before a group of four men about his age and they seems to be hostile towards Rena Rena, the usual human hating Faunus thing, you'd think we'd be over this by now.

The first one steps forward towards Alex, "You'd best move man! Why are you defending that thing?".

Whoever this kid is, he apparently did not take kind to that at all as Duran notices his shift in behavior,

"What's your problem? Rena did nothing to you and she's not a thing, you're basically just attacking her for something others did to you. How are you better then them acting this way?".

Okay, this kid definitely had a death wish.

"You know nothing kid, I lost people because of things like her. So you either move or we will move you!" Alex shifts his stance, showing them he has no intention into moving, "You can try.".

Rena Rena didn't like where this was going, but couldn't understand it. Why was this boy protecting someone he just met she tries to understand this, the fight already starts with the first boy coming at Alex with a sloppy straight punch, Alex takes the boy's hand and slaps it another direction and follows with a palm strike to the chest causing the boy to fall on his back side. The second comes in with a charge run, Alex quickly shifts the boys motion enough into falling dead in front of Duran.

"This kid knows what he's doing.", Duran mentally states as he down at the fallen fighter...ah shit. As fate would have it, it's the same guy from this morning - without the pink lip stick. He looks up at Duran, "Hey you're that guy from before - YOU!".

As Duran jerks at the guys sudden outburst, he suddenly feels two hands grasp his shoulders, he looks back and sees Alice with her dog ears in the air. "Back off, I have a Duran and not afraid to use him!". Duran ponders how this could get any worse as he comes to realize, she just said "I". What was that "Alice this" and "Alice that" crap from before.

As he ponders this, the guy grabs Duran by his neck scarf and begins to tug on it, "So you're with this hyena Huh? I gonna-".

( Snap! )

All Duran could hear was something snap under Duran's scarf. A silver object showing itself to be a locket falls out of his scarf and hits the ground between the bodies. Everything got dead on quiet in Duran's reality as comes to realize that this guy broke this said object. The guy holding the scarf looks up to the owner with burning amber dead eyes.

...This poor soul never had a chance. Whatever he did, he knows now that it was a no-no in Duran's book.

Quickly on violent impulse, Duran delivers the mother of dead on kidney shots causing the guy to kneel forward in terrible pain. Oh yeah, Duran broke something. Just as quick, Duran gives the foolish soul a rising knee strike to the face, causing to lose a few teeth and taking his feet on the ground. With him still in the air, Duran delivers a right downward hook to the face, again, laying him off complete.

Royal Knockout!

As the guy lays down in front of Duran asleep, the fight escalates to the point with the remaining two boys standing trying to wonder how to take on Alex and a now Pissed Off Duran.

The fight breaks at the sound of Ballroom doors opening with Blake Belladonna or to them, Professor Belladonna, peaking into the room. With a calm demeanor Blake states to the crowd with her usual smirk, "It's good to see that you're all full of energy, but let's try to save it for the coming trials ahead, shall we?". With this, the crowd breaks with Alex heading Rena Rena's direction as to Duran, who has managed to calm himself down, picking up the silver locket going down to his corner where Ross is with Alice right behind him. With this, Blake thanks the student bodies and closes the door.

As Alex approaches Rena Rena, she wishes to know why did he defend her, "What was all that? Why did you protect me, someone you just met today? For what reason?". Alex looks at Rena Rena and answers her question, "Because you're my friend. Do I need a reason other then that?". Rena Rena's not sure what to make of this, so she just over to her sleeping bag and lays down. But, she can help but feel glad that she had a guy like him as a friend. Despite how strange he is.

As to Duran, managing to fix the necklace, sits down with Alice, who he now knows to be a hyena breed faunus, on the other side of Ross. "Thanks again Duran, you know, I think you're a cool guy.".

Duran just looks at Alice and gives a cynical statement. "I think you have a talent for finding trouble...". This causes Alice to laugh a bit as she then wishes Duran and Ross a good night. Later on, Duran finally manages to get to sleep.

But is later woken up by what sounds like someone torturing a screaming cow in a field with three Grimm Sirens. He jerks up like everybody else around wondering 'What the hell is that?'. He attention is drawn to Ross as the sound comes again.

Is he snoring?

IS THAT SNORING?!

As Alice laughs with realization, Duran could only stare in disbelief as he finally decides to put in his headphone and play his music.

LOUDLY.

( Headmistress Office )

Poor Blake...

Blake was just giving the final report to Weiss, but since her cat like senses grants her incredible hearing, she to hears Ross's snoring at the distance. This causes her to jerk and drop her folders and tablets as she cannot believe what she hearing...

"WHAT IS THAT?!"

"What is what?!"

"YOU DON'T HEAR THAT?!"


	4. Chapter 3 : Teaching the First Step

**Chapter 3 : Teaching the First Step**

The day starts a mysterious girl waking up first, she reaches for her glasses, gathers her clothes and heads towards the bathrooms. She has long orange hair reaching to her back owning several curls, with her light skin and green eyes she has a few freckles on her cheeks. She puts on a pink tee shirt and slips on brown pants with knee pads on them. She than puts on a brown vest similar to Duran's that goes down to her chest, and light brown timberland boots.

As she heads to her locker, one of the guys from last night trips her feet, causing her to fall over.

"Ow. W-w-what was t-t-that-".

Her apparent speech impaired words are cut off by the boy's laughter and teasing, "Come on beat box, speech up. I don't have all day."

 **"NEITHER DO I, PISS ANT!"**

"Huh.."

As the idiot turns around, he is grabbed by his shirt and flung to a locker. As he eyes the person responsible, he notices a pissed off woman.

She owns long blonde golden hair with light skin with black tattoos - lion ears on top addition to her blue eyes that are piercing into his soul with rage. She is wearing a tribal outfit taking form of a white top bearing black designs with only one sleeve, she wearing green pants with a red belt cloth going around her waist, however leaves enough space for her tail to roam freely. On her wrists, she wearing white and green cloth wraps. She is wearing armor boots bearing black platings and green stripes.

Above all this, she did not look happy.

"Apparently you didn't learn jack shit from last night's beating if you want to call it that! If you wanted another crash course, than all you had to Do Was ASK!". The lion girl roared at the poor soul about to jump him, however the orange haired girl stepped in her path. "No no no, it's o-o-okay Zera, I f-f-fine see." The girl now known as Zera takes a deep breath as she calms down. She looks at the scared shitless boy.

"You're safe, for now."

As the boy gets up to leave, Zera looks at her friend sighing in the process, "You have got to stop letting people push you around Brianna. You could have taken him and you knew it.".

The now known as Brianna tries to reason with her lion friend, "It's w-w-was just a first im-im-impression. Besides, I'm n-n-not hurt see?". Zera walks with Brianna by her side wondering what is she gonna do with her.

The two girls walk up Duran who has fully clothed himself in his combat attire and is now gathering his twin sword blades "Crimson Spiral" out from his locker. Not paying the girls any mind, he does a final check up on his weaponry.

"Good Morning Buddy!", the sound of a familiar female voice causes him around and shrug at the calling.

"What's up, Alice.", Duran turns to face Alice dawning her smile and raising hyena ears. Strangely she seemed to have added want looks like war paint to her face, resulting in two black stripes under her eyes.

"Oh, nothing but just ready for the field test today, which I am by the way. What about you, are you set?". Duran mainly sighs at her question as he sheathes his two swords behind his back. "Ready as I should be. It's just another outside training exam, right?".

As Alice ponders the question, a third voice enters the conversation. "You really don't know anything, don't you?", Duran narrowed his eyes in sudden annoyance as he turns to see Kira Tabito, in all her bitching glory. "The final initiation exam is basically the entry exam into any huntsmen academy. It forces you to rely on all you've in the pervious school, that's if you went to any-".

Duran "really" doesn't like her, he pities the people who end up with her on their team.

"-and navigate through the setting terrain they choose. The objective is varied depending on the course used. Understand, boy?".

Duran stands in annoyed silence until Alice speaks to him, "Can you translate that?".

Duran groans as he answers Alice's question, "In common terms without the unnecessary vocabulary, it's basically another field exam with more objectives.".

This earns an understood "ah" Alice as she turn's to Kira, "Why couldn't you just go with THAT?!".

This surprisingly earns a chuckle from Duran as Kira's face turns red.

"So you know, I am one who tries to follow everything to the letter!"

"Which one? So you know, there's twenty-six of them and I keep count!"

 **"WHAT ARE YOU?! A CHILD?!"**

"I'm a adult!"

On high sight, Duran's glad he was here. Seeing this girl suffer as she yelled at a "brick wall" was priceless.

( The Cliff of Emerald Forest )

The student bodies approach the edge of the cliff where they were recently called to. There Professor Weiss and Blake stand waiting for Group A's arrival.

( Group A being Duran V. Raglan, Alice G. Vermillion, Ross D. Love, Kira S. Tabito, Alex P. Crosshart, Rena Rena, Zera B. Leafhead, and Brianna C. Terla. )

As the Headmistress of New Beacon, Weiss decides to speak first,

"Once again, I welcome you to New Beacon Academy. To enter the academy in full, you most first pass the initiation exam. Professor Blake Belladonna will inform you the objectives of the exam.".

With this, Blake steps up with tablet in hand. "The objective of the exam this year into transverse to the Emerald Forest in search for several relics hidden somewhere in this forest. This relics will indeed to many forms, obtain one of them, keep them safe, yourself and whom ever you may run into, and return to the top of this cliff before night fall. Keep in mind that the Emerald Forest is roaming with Grimm and other obstacles willing to sit in the way of your path, keep your wits about you and your guard up at all times, fight them or you will indeed die.".

Duran catches a 'Eep' sound from Alice whose next to him as she claps her mouth with her hands.

Weiss's eye not leaving the group delivers one final piece of information, "Also keep in mind that the FIRST person you make eye contact with upon landing will be your partner throughout your next four years here at Beacon.".

With that, Duran looks around to notice the group he will be dropping with. Alice looks at him and waves with a grinning smile.

"With that said, know you will indeed be monitored throughout the exam, but the instructors will not intervene. This will mark your first step into New Beacon. Professor Belladonna." Weiss turns to Blake. Blake nobs and passes a button causing the tiles to go off one-by-one. As the students take off one-by-one, Weiss stands at the cliff watching the first group of the new generation take their first step.

Blake turns back at the next group, "Will Group B step forward?".

In response, she hears a male student in the back, "Oh, Hell No!".

A female voice follows, "Is there another way down?!"

( The Western Section )

Duran manages to land in the western side of forest, using his twin swords to cut away the branches in his way. On his way down, he impales one of his swords into a tree and safely slides down. Coming to a stop, he then hears Alice flies past him and lands in a nearby tree.

As Duran believes that she would be alright, we starts to walk the other direction, shockingly watching Kira drop in that same direction.

"Kira or Alice?"

"Bitch or Talkathon?"

... "Screw it.".

Duran gathers himself up and walks Alice's direction swords in hand.

( The Eastern Section )

Alex manages to land safely as well and proceeds to travel through the forest. He walks with his javelin "Dragoon" in hand, in mid walk he ears catches the sound of Grimm in the distance and the seem to be closing in on him.

He readies his javelin and puts on his hoodie and face mask covering his mouth and nose.

Three Beowolves approach him. He calm waits for the first move to be made.

The first Beowulf charges at him from the right side, Alex twirls his javelin taking two steps forward, as the Grimm launches from the ground, Alex swipes his weapon upon the back of the knees behind the kneecaps, causing the Beowolf to flip backwards.

This causes the second Beowolf on left to charge. With the first Grimm still in mid spiral, Alex then twists his body in a spin attack, hitting the Grimm with his weapon to send it flying towards the second, thus causing them to collide into one another.

With the two Grimm on the ground together, Alex then jumps upward and comes down on the two Beowulves, impaling them both with Dragoon, killing them. Leaving only the third remaining.

Before Alex could charge, what looked like two spinning discs pass him striking down the Grimm in front him and passing him again. He looks back to see where they're going and catches Rena Rena in his line of sight.

Rena Rena catches the two discs that now to him are twin chakrams, and looks at him, dumbfounded at how he looks with the hoodie and face mask. "Must you really go over the top with everything little thing you do?".

Alex takes off his hoodie and face mask, "But I look cool this way do not?"

Rena Rena rolls her eyes and states not, causing Alex to drop his head in defeat. "Guess this means we're partners, huh?".

Rena Rena shakes her head, "What's the point in asking questions you already know the answer to?".

Alex raises his hands in honesty, "I like to hear other peoples opinions...".

...What has Rena Rena got herself into?

( Back at the Western Section )

We catch Alice in the trees upon landing, using her Garrote Wired Gauntlets "Lilith's Grace" to safely swing and propel her way down, eventually catching Duran in her line of sight. Excited she'd see him first, propels towards him landing behind him.

"Duran! What luck is it that we ended up on the same side of the forest, right?".

"It was either you or Kira really."

Duran keeps a straight face and give a stoic tone comment, "You can say that, I got lost along the way." Alice chuckles at Duran's sense of direction and points another direction, "Well lucky for you, I caught a quick glimpse of something interesting while in the air. It's that way, lead on partner or would you prefer Boss! I like Boss!".

Duran smirks at Alice's cheerful comments and leads the way with his partner, Alice. He can actually say wiithout a doubt that at this point, he feels comfortable around her.

"Hey Duran. You know what this reminds me of?"

"What?"

"Outlast 2!"

"Ha. One was better..."

Well this caused Alice's hyena ears to spike up in anger.

 **"SLANDER! TRAITOR!"**

"There is no way you actually enjoyed that crap game?"

"Your treason will not go unpunished!"

"It was basically a "Run or You'll Die" game and you know it..."


	5. Chapter 4 : The Trials

**\- RWBY Fables Chapter 4 : The Trials -**

( The Emerald Forest, The Far Eastern Section )

"Would you perhaps speed up?"

"What's your rush?"

In another part of the Emerald Forest, Kira has ran into Ross a few moments upon landing. Though she's graceful that she didn't run into that boy Duran first, she would appreciate it if this big Goat would pick up some form of speed.

"Incase you forgotten we're in a time frame of before sun down to find the temple and pick a relic. Mind you finding the temple is the easy part, the hard part is figuring out what those relics are?", Kira tries to make a point into the tasks at hand, hoping to get Ross moving.

However, to no avail... Ross keeps moving slowly forward swinging his giant axe back and forth cutting down bushes and branches in Kira's and his way while making a lazy comment, "I'm sure we'll make it. Besides, we don't even know how many relics there are. And each pair is only allowed one. There's no need to rush into something we know little about, it'll only cause more problems instead of solving problems."

Kira does take mental note of Ross's words seeing them slightly true. She had thought that Ross was a lazy guy that prefer to avoid problems all together, but it turns out that he'd rather not charge into things head on. But this didn't stop her from sticking to her choice of action as she speeds up regardless, "At the very least, we are to pick up some form of pace."

Ross can only watch as Kira speeds up in front of him in gives out a lazy sigh, "Hope that guy Duran has better luck then we do..."

"I hope that brute got stuck with the WORST person possible. As I must also pity the team who gets stuck with him."

Ross looks at Kira with a pondering face after her sudden comment, "You really don't like the guy, do you?"

Kira waves her hand at Ross, not once hesitating to answer his question, "Not liking him would be putting it lightly."

They continue their walk through the forest coming across a sudden cave, bringing up Ross's attention, "You think the relics are in there?".

Kira looks Ross's direction coming to notice the cave as well, she's not sure what Ross is thinking, but it wouldn't hurt to check, "I guess we can take a look..."

With that, the pair enter the cave.

( Else where in the Emerald Forest )

Duran and Alice arrive at a cliff somewhere in the Emerald Forest. They ran into obstacles along the way, but nothing they can handle.

After much examination of surveying the area, Alice points to a site of ruins off in the distance, "What's that over there?".

Duran looks over Alice's pointed direction, coming to notice the ruin site as while, "It looks like a temple of some sorts. I do recall a temple being somewhere within the Emerald Forest, but I didn't think it be the dead center."

Alice ears jolt up with a sudden idea about the relics and turns to her stoic partner, "Well maybe the relics are there."

He drops his head and delivers his stoic comment with a straight face. "I will admit that the Headmistress did say that the relics would be somewhere in the forest. But I doubt she'd put so much as one of them in a ruin temple site, it'd be too easy.", with that Alice cheerfully grins as she proceeds down the cliff into some trees, "~Well there's only one way to find out."

Duran, not believing what just happened, chases his idiotic teammate. But not before looking back, feeling like he was being watched.

( Else where in the Forest )

"That w-w-was clo-o-ose."

Zera has managed to find Brianna as planned, now she, struggles, to patiently wait as Brianna scopes out the area with her rifle, "You find anything yet B? Kind of bored here!".

Brianna could only shake her head as she once again is taken off track by her friends impatience, "It'd b-b-be much eas-s-sier if someone s-s-stopped asking e-e-every five minutes."

Zera looks up not liking Brianna's sudden attitude, "Don't you give me that sass. You never give me the rifle, so I have to ask."

Brianna looks down at Zera after hearing her comeback to remind her for the thousandth time into why Zera is never allowed to hold her rifle.

"B-b-because you shot our student t-t-teacher that o-o-one time! Remember?!"

"Oh My God! I told you, it was an accident!"

"An ac-c-c-cident is something that h-h-happen unintent-t-tionally! You aimed first than f-f-fired! T-t-that was n-n-no accident!"

Giving up the argument, Zera throws are hands in the air and shouts in defeat, "Will you just find some form of direction please?!"

Brianna not wanting to temper her friend any further than she already has, scopes the forest, and happens to stumble upon Alex and Rena Rena as the distance.

"I t-t-think I f-f-found something!"

"FINALLY!"

( The Ruin Site, Emerald Forest )

Off at the distance, Alex and Rena Rena approach a cliff. Rena Rena sighs at the fact this is the third cliff they've walked into, "Are you sure you know where you going?".

Alex looks around the area answering Rena Rena's question, "I noticed a strange looking temple at the far center distance of the forest, though something tells he that it would be at the bottom of these cliffs."

Rena Rena gives Alex a look of doubt as she rolls her eyes in belief that he really doesn't know where he's going, "So you're having us go cliff to cliff until we find some form of drop point?". Alex drops his head in defeat, only to rise it back up upon finding a stroke of luck.

"Hey! Look over there!"

Rena Rena glances his direction to solely find what looks like a ruin temple. And at the distance just a good mile from them is a path way leading to it. She'd had to admit...she was impressed.

"Rena, come on! Maybe we'll be the first to make it!", Alex calls out to Rena Rena as he charges into the direction of the temple. Rena Rena couldn't help but smile at the boy underneath her cloak.

After much travel through the woods and trees, Alex and Rena Rena stumble upon what seems like a destroyed temple, what destroyed it, doubt they want to know. Alex is the first to notice the strange row of table blocks at the distance and thus calls out to his partner, "Rena, look over there. I think I found something!".

Much to their surprise, there was a row of tables housing what appears to be...chess pieces.

Alex picks up a white bishop piece and looks at it, "So the whole exam is to find and locate...chess pieces?".

Rena Rena for the first time held the same pondering look on her face as these so called relics. I mean really, chess pieces?

"It doesn't matter, we were only told to pick up one. And seeing as you are holding one, let's just-", Rena Rena's ears suddenly jolt up as if catching a sound she's not comfortable with. Alex looked at Rena Rena to see her bats ears jumping, "Hey, what's wrong?".

As an answer, Rena Rena drew her chakrams which caused Alex to draw his spear as the turned around in unison.

"Who's There?!"

( Cavern Section, Emerald Forest )

Kira and Ross enter the cave as they light a torch to give them some form of light, as they proceed through the dark cave while taking note of the apparent strange writing, Ross senses something in front of them.

"Hey, you feel that?" Kira stops right behind Ross, who unfortunately doesn't have the keen senses Ross has is left in the dark. Or in the loop.

Kira not liking being in the loop, calls out Ross. "While don't just stand there like a silent mule, what's wrong?".

Ross looks further in front of them, suddenly catching the sight of a pair of red eyes.

No wait, two...three...six...Uh Oh.

"We gonna go."

Kira tried of being left out, pushes Ross to the side to catch the sight of a pair of...

Thirteen red eyes...twenty-eight...thirty-three...

"...Time to go."

 **ROAR!**

 _ **AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**_

( Back at the Ruin Section )

"Put that down before you hurt yourself..."

Duran along with the smiling Alice exit the bushes, meeting Alex and Rena Rena, though Alex has already met Duran before. Alex points to Duran with a shocked look on his face, "Hey, you're the guy from last night!".

Unfortunately for Alex, Duran didn't bother remembering Alex. So Duran just gave him a pondering look.

"Do I know you?"

Alex stared in awe of Duran not remembering him, while Rena Rena brought up something to catch their attention, "I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about them."

This caused Duran and Alex to look back, catching Zera and Brianna coming out of the bushes, with Zera laughing at Rena Rena's incredible hearing, "Wow! Talk about selective hearing! What do you say Bree?".

Brianna behind Zera only sighs at all that transpired, "She only heard us because you kept chuckling at that girls jokes?", she points to Alice's location to only find that she wasn't there anymore.

Much to everyone's surprise, Alice was already at the row of tables and is holding up what appears to be a black horse knight of one of those...chess pieces?

"Hey Duran, look! I gotta horsey!"

Duran groans with irritation as he tries to keep his composure. He along with the others walk over to the tables with only several few of those chess pieces, only to take the one Alice is already holding, "Who puts or hides chess pieces in the middle of a forest? Even if it is for an exam."

Zera picks up a black bishop piece while giving a confident look, "Well, hopefully it's something good."

It wasn't until Rena Rena's ear jolt up once more, this time to the sound of...trampling feet. And it's coming their way, fast. She once more draws her chakrams which in turn causes everyone else to draw their weapons, again, as they wait for the impending danger. Alex is the first to speak up and is cut off to the sound of screaming rushing their way. Out of the bush jumps Ross and Kira who are coming in at full speed.

They stop dead in front of gang at the ruin site, and sadly out of everyone, Duran is the only one taking great pleasure into Kira's suffering. Ross looks up and notices everyone else, despite feeling short on breathe, he feels reluctantly to ask, "Is this the temple site?".

Everyone shakes their heads as Duran points the direction of the relics. To their surprise as well, chess pieces.

"You gotta be-"

Kira, adding her disgust that Duran of all people beat her here, brings out more pressing matters, "We don't have time to algol about this, just pick up one and let's go!".

As Ross rushes to pick up a piece, that when the gang notices the horde of Beowulves rushing their way. Duran readies his Crimson Spirals shifting one of them ( His Left Handed One ) into pistol mode as Zera reluctantly shifts her tonfas into gun mode and immediately open fire, knocking down several Grimm in the process. Duran looks back with irritation into what is happening, "Out of all the places you could have taken them, you chose this place!?".

Kira was not having any of Duran's crap right now, oh how she wishes she could just swing her saber his direction.

"As I love to put up with you right now we have more pressing matters!"

Zera looks back at her partner Brianna, "Hey Bree, we could use some fire power about now!", with this Brianna pulls out her Eagle Brace and reaches for what appears to be any extension clip. Brianna attaches it to her Eagle Brace.

The party notices the blue dust crystal charging up and pulling the trigger, Brianna fires what looks like a cannon blast. This does destroy most of the Grimm pack...

However the laser blast continues it's travel much to everyone's awe, and suddenly hits a another target...A much bigger one. Out of the tree of the far end of the forest rises a big Grimm, A Mantis King. And it's not happy.

The whole gang stands in awe as the Mantis begins to fly their direction as Duran gives his two cents of criticism, "That shot...sucked! I'm not sure if I should be surprised that it hit something or be disappointed into what it hit."

 **"WHO CARES!? RUN!"**

The whole party makes a break for it into the trees hoping it loses them in the trees. While in the their rush, they run into what looks like an arena of sorts. Aside from the obvious arena ring in the dead center, you see numerous pillars rising up from the clouds below them with several of the pillars attaching themselves with road-way-like stretches going either horizontal or vertical. Didn't help it's appearance that it was covered in vines.

Taking a leap of faith, the gang enters the arena, hoping the lost the Mantis. As they manage to catch their breathe, they are reminded of their objective by Kira, "We have to find a way to get to the cliff site, anyone know the way."

Duran, having too much on his hands to begin with, tries to do once thing at a time. "I'm all up for heading for the cliff, but let's focus on the major issues first before dealing with anything else."

"Well, you might have a problem with that."

Everyone happens to look Rena Rena's direction to notice a Grimm Leo (Alpha Lion) coming out of the fog of the ruins.

"This is perfect."

"Ah, Boss!", Everyone then look Alice direction to catch the Mantis landing right behind them on top of the platform pillars.

 _"That's even more perfect!"_

The party now stands between a Grimm Leo and a Grimm Mantis, some exam this is. The two Grimm close in on their prey of freshmen students.

"What d-d-do we d-d-do?! The t-t-t-t-teachers must-", Brianna panics shaking her rifle.

"I wouldn't bother little one." Everyone looks at Ross who has drawn his axe ready for battle, "Did you forget, the instructors won't be interfering with the exam. I guess this still counts..."

Alex, who his javelin ready trying to focus on two targets at once, panics with the odds clearly against them, "Than what do we do?!"

"It should be obvious...", Everyone looks Duran's direction as his plan of action seems straight forward, but he knows it's the only option they got, "There's only two of them and eight of us, we'll just have to break into a team of four, pick a target and take it down."

Kira is the first to object remembering the time frame they're on, "What about the cliff site?! We have to be there before night fall remember?! We don't have that the time to take out the both of them!".

Duran speaks again, keeping his battle form up and his face straight, "We don't necessarily **have** to take the both of them down. If we just take one down and leave the other immobilized, we can escape then and there. I prefer we take down the Mantis, it's more of a threat to us the that Leo. But if we manage to take both of them down, than that's a plus."

If anything, Kira was impressed, this brute is clearly more combat experienced than she thought.

Zera steps up to the plate, "Me, Bree, Alex and Rena will take care of the Leo."

Duran eyes the Mantis, looking for a way to clip it's wings, "That leaves the Mantis to Me, Alice, Ross, and Four Eyes."

...Ok, the one time for Kira to like him and he blew it. Her attention is drawn back to the two Grimm as they look ready to attack at any time. She draws her saber and sets her eyes on the Mantis.

"I'm guessing everyone knows their roles."

Everyone appears armed and ready for the battle before them.


	6. Chapter 5 : The Two Teams

**\- RWBY Fables Chapter 5 : The Two Teams -**

( The Cliff Site )

Blake was not happy at the moment. And Weiss could hear it. Blake is current on the phone with Jaune demanding answers after witnessing the events involving her soon-to-be students and the Grimm Mantis, only to have it lead to the Grimm Leo enter the equation.

"You were suppose to be on the lookout for Grade-2 Alpha Level Grimm! How could you have not noticed them?!"

"Hey, this forest is vast and large! We only caught what we could find! The Mantis is understandable, that's fault on my part as well as Nora's, but the Leo was not there yesterday or the day before and we checked that area twice!"

Blake hangs up on Jaune after his so called explanation, she then looks at Weiss, who has her back turned with and is looking down at her tablet, wondering what to do, "What should we do? You want me to - ".

Weiss raises her hand to calm her feline friend eyes not leaving the tablet, what she said next was not what Blake expected, "We don't do anything...". Blake's ears could only drop at what Weiss chose to do.

"You can't seriously be thinking of doing nothing!"

Weiss looks at Blake with calm eyes and her trademark smirk, remembering the time they fought the Nevermore and Deathstalker.

"Did any teachers aid us when we fought those two Grimm during our exam?"

Blake could just stand there listening to Weiss's words as they rung true, but this was a different matter, "So we just stand here and watch this play out?".

Weiss chuckles with her face not losing it's confidence, she understand's Blake position here. As long as she's known her, Blake has never been the one to standby and do nothing if she had the power to either prevent it or stop it. It was one of redeeming qualities about her, let alone a bit charming. But this was their test. Their first step. It'd be wrong to take it away from them. But if Blake was gonna be such a worrywart about it, then as a safe measure...

"Look, if things get to crazy, I'll send you in a instant...", This brought somewhat of a peace of mind in Blake, but then Weiss handed over her tablet with a teasing gesture, "...though I doubt they would need it."

Blake took Weiss's tablet of which was filming the fight between the students and the two Grimm. Upon watching the first few minutes, Blake could help but feel like she was watching a trip of memory lane.

( The Arena, Emerald Forest )

Within an instant the two Grimm launched their attack on the party, causing the party to disperse and attack their chosen targets. This indeed cause the party to break apart, but just as planned, Duran's party attacked the Mantis, where as to Zera's party went to stall the Leo. Shifting both his swords into gun mode, Duran changed the selective firing mode to firing a storm of bullets upon the Mantis. This didn't much of damage, but it caught it's attention. The Mantis charged following Duran into the pillar platforms away from the Leo and Zera's party.

"Bree, we need to get that big guy's attention!"

Brianna takes her Eagle's Brace and fires upon the Leo, angering it. Ignoring the Mantis, the Leo charges towards Brianna, only to have Alex perform a sonic thrust, disturbing it's motion, as took this chance to relocate Brianna. Sure her fire power was great, but something told him she wouldn't be much help up close, "Brianna, you should take higher cover! Watch our backs from afar! Rena, get it's attention away from Brianna!".

Nodding her head to the stranger, Brianna took to the walls of the colosseum. Rena Rena, taking her chakrams, throws them at the Leo's knees to divert it's attention. Luckily for Brianna, it worked as she makes it to the walls to scope out a firing point; but this left Zera, Alex, and Rena Rena with the Leo up close. Not that Zera mind, her lion blood was boiling, she liked a challenge. Slamming her tonfas together, she laughs at the Grimm before them charging.

"Now this is a FIGHT, I'm so freaking READY!"

With that Zera charged at the Leo striking the top of it's head, only to have it's protective Grimm Scales protect it from the blow. In turn the Leo swiped it paw at Zera, sending her flying towards the wall. Rena Rena and Alex took turns striking it's sides, only to cause little to no damage. The Leo turned slapping Rena Rena with it's tail, Alex expertly dodged it's attack.

Brianna finding one firing point, opened fire on the Leo, only to anger it. As the Leo looked for Brianna, Alex caught it's attention by thrusting his javelin at one of it's legs, diverting it's attention. As Brianna hid behind a rock of her poorly chosen firing point, she thought of one thing.

"I hope t-t-the others a-a-are having b-b-better luck than w-w-w-we are."

( The Arena Pillars )

Successfully luring the Mantis into the pillars, Duran and Alice run around the pillar while Ross, backed up by Kira, is distracting the Mantis in question. Yes, the plan work, but with all these pillar routes giving them limited foothold to run on, the flying Mantis had the advantage.

It could fly.

"Dammit! Kind of wished we had more foothold here.", Duran cursed loudly he watched as the walking tank Ross takes on the Mantis himself a bit.

"Out of the four of us, you chose me, huh?", Ross lazily asks the Mantis this actually believing he'll get an answer, of course he didn't. All he got out of it was a roar and a incoming sideways swipe, "Well, it can't be helped...".

In mid dialog, Ross expertly dodges the swipe and charges towards the Mantis, drawing a weapon in the process, his double bladed axe, War Head. Ross goes for a swipe at one of it's legs, but the Mantis took off into the air, going to where Kira was.

Taking higher ground, Kira jumps off one of the higher platforms coming down on the Mantis delivering a barrage of thrust sonic attacks from her saber. However, the Mantis blocking the attack with it's harden arms, causing Kira to tumble down to Ross where he caught her before she hit the ground. The Mantis however then switched platforms catching Duran in it's sights.

It flies his direction, causing Duran to opening fire on the Mantis and ran along the platform. The Mantis takes a swipe at the platform Duran was on, causing him to tumble down.

"~ Duran! ~"

As Duran dropped from the broken platform, Alice fired the garrote wire from her gauntlets to a nearby higher pillar, allowing her to swing and grab hold of Duran, propelling them to a safe platform. The Mantis's attention is draw to Ross as he throws his axe in boomerang mode as it takes off dodging it.

This fight wasn't heading anywhere.

Duran had to figure out how to cut it's wings and bring to their level somehow. The Mantis wasn't gonna sit still and just let the do it though. They had to trap it somehow.

As Alice propelled them safely to a platform below them, Duran looks at Alice, who had seemed to have taken his intention the wrong way, causing her ears to wiggle in a teasing gesture.

"~ Ora, you shouldn't stare, boss. ~"

Ignoring that completely, Duran thinks of a possible chance of attack.

"How much wire do you have?"

Alice caught the gest of what Duran was asking, "~ Ah, I don't have that much wire... ~".

As Duran curses under his breath, he catches Alice with a devilish grin on her face as she finishes her statement, raising onto her feet.

"~ But Alice does! ~"

Before Duran could ask what was she talking about, Alice started to give off a greenish glow off Aura. What happened next was unexpected.

( The Colosseum )

The Leo was not letting up on Zera's group.

Though Brianna found numerous firing points she can shoot from, it didn't help her to watch her friends fight the giant Grimm Leo up front. Though Zera was enjoying the fight, Alex and Rena Rena didn't have the same attitude. To them, it felt like they were going in circles.

They had to find a way to do some real damage. Alex could only think of one lead, "Could we just strike it's knees or the lower part of it's body?".

Rena Rena could hear the doubt in Alex's tone, but it was understandable. The Grimm Leo had protective guards on it's body and it was almost as big as a Nevermore. Striking the lower parts of it's body would take forever, unless...

"Dammit.."

With that Rena Rena shuffles around in her cloak, pulling out a yellow dust crystals, attaching them to her Chakrams. Her chakrams then started giving off a shocking look on them, it was then Alex followed suit.

Alex clicks a button on his javelin which causes a rotating clip on the blade to spin. The clip comes to a stop at a light blue dust crystal, which causes the javelin to infuse itself with blue energy. Zera...not that lucky or pleased.

"You asses been hiding tricks this whole time!"

Rena Rena looks back at Zera, "No need to worry about that really. But seriousness implied, how much of a hard hitter are you?". Zera smiled at Rena Rena's question, catching the just of what was happening. She slams her tonfas together once more and works her way around the Leo, calling out to Brianna, who has been firing from multiple firing points this whole time.

"Bree, open fire. We're about to let loose girl!"

Brianna didn't like how Zera phrased that, but she took cover immediately to take out another attachment to Eagle Brace, becoming a rifle cannon. With Eagle Brace no longer slightly hindered with a charging point so much, Brianna fired a powerful charge shot at the Leo's right eye. This clearly did some serious damage as the Leo started to rub it's face on the ground to ease itself the pain.

During this, back in the arena, Rena Rena unclipped her cloak much further.

Under her cloak, Rena Rena is wearing a gray short shirt wrapped with two belt bands which works at safety clips for her chakrams. On her neck, she is wearing a neck guard and on her elbows are wrapped bandages. Rena is wearing black pants with purple designs topped off with black boots and black fingerless gloves.

With this Rena Rena dashes towards the Leo with great speed with her chakrams spinning. The Leo unable to keep up, Rena Rena came as a storm of darkness, delivering slashes upon the Leo's knees. The caused a static aftermath, slowing the Grimm's movements only for a moment.

A moment was all Alex needed.

Alex showing off incredible leg work, jumped to higher air space, twirling his javelin is the process. With a powerful throw, Alex launches his energized spear as the Leo's back. The javelin shocked the Grimm in the process, but the shocking aftermath started to cover it in a sheet of slick ice.

Taking the opportunity, Zera came in with wild emotion. Charging her Aura into her right fist and tonfa, with a shit eating grin on her face Zera takes the frozen Leo for a wild ride. Slamming her fist dead into it's face, the Leo's face shattered into a million pieces, causing the rest of it's body to fall.

With the Leo defeated, Zera lets out a victory cry, raising her hands in the air. Much to poor Brianna's dismay...

"HELL YES!"

"Z-z-Zera! P-p-p-please language!"

Acknowledging their victory, Alex takes a look at Rena Rena with her cloak open. Rena Rena looks back a Alex which throws him off.

"You...look nice..."

Rena Rena looks downward away from Alex, as she walks away. With that, Zera pats Alex on the back as Brianna slightly chuckles behind her, "You suck at this, don't you?"

( The Pillars )

Kira takes another swing at the Mantis, causing the Mantis to take flight once more. However in mid flight, it's fired upon by Duran. But this time it seems that he had done something to heat up the bullets. The bullets then upon impact started to burn the Mantis.

This angered the Mantis as it took flight in Duran's direction. Before the Mantis could make contact, Duran leaps from his platform onto another one. Mantis of course follows suit...only to get caught in some wire, tangling itself in shock as it tried to escape.

What had happened was a few moments earlier Alice activated her semblance, Wisp, creating another solid clone version of herself. Though it looked like the real Alice, it spoke in third person.

"Alice reporting for duty boss. How shall Alice be of service for both Alice and Alice's best friend Duran?"

' I guess that explains what happened yesterday. '

Duran had both the Alice twins run around from place to place and spread their wire in certain places, while he along with Kira and Ross distract the Mantis. Taking this chance before the Mantis could escape, Duran and Kira leap from a higher platform coming down on the Mantis with blades ready, each taking a wing of the Mantis.

With this, the Mantis tumbled to a nearby platform. With this chance, Ross made himself finally useful into taking the Mantis's right front leg and it left two middle legs. With the Mantis slightly tumbling, Alice gave Ross's efforts a hand and fired her garrote wires at the Mantis. After the wires attached to the Mantis's left arm, Alice gave a hard pull, causing the Mantis to crash into the ground. Then, Alice force retracted her wires, slicing off the Mantis's left arm.

Wanting to end this right here and now, as the Mantis struggled to get back up, Duran charged at the Mantis. In Kira's eyes it seemed that the edges on his sword began to heat up, giving off a red steaming glow.

With amazing hand work, Duran takes two swipes at the Mantis puts it final arm up as a means of defense. An attack that should have been blocked, burned it's way through the arm with the first swipe. The second steaming swipe sliced the Mantis's head, sending it roll off of the platform in question of the party's location.

Both party's managed to slay their Grimm targets.

As a jest of victory, Alice leaps at Duran tackling him into the ground in a joyful hug, as to Ross who has worked enough for the day sits to catch a breather with his axe on his shoulder.

"HEY!", their attention is drawn back to Kira who is still standing with her heels on the ground.

"Did you guys forget about the cliff site?! We don't have time to be standing around!"

Alice looks at Kira removing one arm from Duran and raising a finger and a smile wiggling her ears in a playful gesture.

"~ Well, it's a good thing we're sitting instead of standing. Am I right? ~"

"ALICE!" / "Alice..."

"Why are people yelling at Alice? Alice just got here."

"Who the hell are you?!"

( The Cliff Site, Emerald Forest )

"See, what did I tell you? Nothing to worry about.", Weiss claims after watching the two parties take down two Grade-2 Alpha Grimm while Blake watched in awe. The two instructors felt like they went through memory lane. It felt like it was another lifetime ago when they went through this test themselves.

Blake smile at their victory but making brief notes of her own, "It would have been better to have fought the Mantis in the arena and the Leo on the platforms though. Their strategic combat could use some work."

Weiss could only shake her head at Blake's response, "Well, it's a good thing you'll be teaching them that then."

Blake nods her head, only now catching what Weiss just said.

"Wait, what..."

Weiss ignores Blake and looks at her watch, "Now lets see if they make to the cliff site on time."

"Weiss seriously...What?"

( New Beacon Amphitheater )

"Lily Solena, Adam Stanford, Ty Vidoma, and Ellis Vidoma. Together with Lily Solena as your team leader, you will be known as Team LATE.", Weiss claims team after team as she has done these past few years with pride and respect.

"Because we're always "LATE" for the party, are we!?"

"Oh My God, Ty...NO!"

The two groups stand and watch as where as Alice laughs at the boy name Ty as he gives off a sense of humor with his sudden catchphrase. Kira was the only one who didn't take the joke lightly and neither was she with Alice.

"Must everything be a joke to you?", this caused Duran to look at Kira nearly having enough of her, until Alice grabs their attention as Zera's group step up next.

"The finder's of the two Bishop Pieces. Zera Leafhead, Brianna Terla, Rena Rena, and Alex Crosshart. Together with Zera Leafhead as your leader, you will be known as Team ZBRA ( Zebra ).", as Weiss deeded the team name and leader, Rena Rena couldn't help but look at Alex and notice a slight hint of personal defeat.

"Good luck to all of you."

Alice felt bad for Alex, it looked like he worked hard, "~ Poor Alex, I'm giving him a hug after this. ~".

Duran smirked and shook his head at Alice's response, "He shouldn't worry about it. A leadership position is just a position to point at when things go wrong, believe me. He has no idea how much he has been spared."

Kira waves her hand at Duran with her eyes narrowed, "Well you won't have much to worry then. It'd be a warm day in Atlas when you're made leader of anything. Though at the same time as a admire your combat prowess, I still pity the souls who get stuck with you...", as Duran's tolerance has just reached it end, the Headmistress spoke up for the next line of students.

"Now I shall call upon those who picked up the two Horse Knight Pieces. Duran Victor Raglan, Alice Gale Vermillion, Ross Love...and Kira Tabito."

At that moment Kira looked at the screen and the Headmistress. Confirming this wasn't a joke, she dropped her head in disbelief.

In a heap of joy, Alice grabbed Duran and pulled him into the stands as Kira struggled to keep calm as she made her way to the stands along side Ross Love. The four stand before the Headmistress as light shined from beneath them.

"As the founders from the horse knight chess pieces, from this point on, you will be known as Team DARK...lead by Duran Victor Raglan."

...What?

( The Courtyard, New Beacon Academy )

"This has to be a joke. There is no way YOU was placed in charge of a team. Let alone a team, I'm part of!"

As the newly formed Team DARK made their way to the labeled dorm number on their scrolls, Kira went on a full rant into the situation she was just placed in. Not only was she placed on the same team as this...brute, but a team he was in charge of. She even slapped herself six times to see if she was dreaming.

Alice counted.

The giant goat Ross placed a hand on Kira's shoulder seeming to calm her down, "Well, there's nothing you can do about it now. I'd say see where this goes. Not that I mind. Better one of you than me really."

Alice on the other hand didn't seemed bothered by it at all. In fact, Alice looked pretty joyful about all of it, her first friend at New Beacon Academy was not only on the same team as her, but he was her team leader. Her ears wiggled as much as her tail wagged with excitement. She could burst if she wanted.

"I, for one say that I'm glad we're on the same team! If we can rock a Mantis, the few years of school should be easy! Let's give it up for the newly formed Team DARK guys!"

Alice raises her fist in the air in a simling form of declaration with Ross lazily following suit while Kira only slapped her face a seventh time with irritation. Granted she wasn't gonna like being on the same team or even being lead by Duran of all people, but his combat prowess at least leaves much to be admired.

While she froze in fear at the sight of the two Grimm, Duran was able to stand firm and pull everyone else into gear. She's not sure if it was just combat instinct or hidden leadership abilities under all his lone wolf attitude, but she is willing to at least give him a shot.

Duran walked behind them a all without much of interest. He didn't care for the leadership position, but since it had been lead on him, Duran feels a deal of unwanted responsibility.

But...

"Hey Boss! Let's go slow poke! I see the dorm area from here!"

Duran is taken out of his train of thought by a smiling Alice waving her hands up for his attention in the middle of a crossed armed Kira and a smirking Ross. Duran got the leadership position, there is nothing he can do about it. But there is one leadership responsibility he is willing to act upon. Protecting those of his team...including that witch Kira.

"Hopefully we have a plan for Ross's snoring..."

Duran's comment alone causes to two female souls of Team DARK to freeze in place, where as Ross himself only looked down at everyone with a look of confusion.

While else where in the courtyard, we find Team ZBRA just hanging out at the fountain before heading off to their dorm room. Zera is holding a confident smile on her friend as she holds her claimed leadership position with pride while Brianna is trying to calm her down, hoping it doesn't go to her head. Rena Rena is sitting next to Alex who hasn't said a word since the ceremony.

But being a Bat Faunus has it's perks. Hearing his heartbeat, she could tell he was bothered about something. Rena Rena looks at Alex with a look of concern and makes her worry known to him. Despite it being unwanted or down right misplaced, Alex has this far shown much concern and kindness towards her, it's time to pay it back with the same kindness.

"You...wanna talk about it?"

Alex looks up at Rena Rena slightly silent, but shocked at her sense of worry for him. Alex then shakes his head, smiling while reinsuring her that there was nothing to worry about. Alex then walks away with the others, but Rena Rena knows better. She won't dwell on it right now. She just has to wait for when he is ready to tell about it.

Rena Rena eyes Alex's back as the proceed to their dorm room as they listen to Zera's leadership demands, finding herself smiling at her new friends, her team.

You can say this was the beginning of the first step for the two teams, Team DARK and Team ZBRA.

And good days will come for them from here on...as well as the bad days.


	7. Chapter 6 : Shining Beacon

**\- RWBY Fables Chapter 6 : Shining Beacon -**

( Professor Port's Class )

It was the second day morning of their first year at New Beacon Academy. Classes are now starting and the freshmen student body are going through a introduction period.

But...

"Grimm. Monsters. Beings of Darkness. They go by many titles, but in which is why we as Huntsmen and Huntresses face them to protect our very society. Why I remember the first time I hunted my first Beowolf. Vicious thing it was..."

Owning his trademark beard and round figure is the fabled Professor Port. He was going to teach the class on the standing foundations of Huntsmen Trade, but like always he is suddenly caught in one of his life stories.

"This is not happening..."

"Duran..."

In this very class room is Team DARK and ZBRA. While Duran was in disbelief into what was happening, he received a slap from Kira on his arm for his rude comment. Alice had taken to liberty into pulling out her scroll and playing her portable video game SFV, while Ross watches her...while eating another burger. Beneath them, in Team ZBRA's desk row, Alex is trying out of respect to listen to Port's story with the fullest interest, while Zera struggles to take notes not knowing that none of it is important while Brianna had taken out a voice recorder using it to record the lesson. Rena Rena lastly is just looking at Port wondering where all this air he's using coming from.

"There is no way any of this is true. I mean really...", Duran continues to criticize Port's lectures not believing his story one bit. This results in another slap on his arm from Kira.

"Don't be a prude, how would you know?"

Duran reaches one of his arms out to the fat man in front of them, pointing out a certain obvious. As one who would have to see to believe, Duran is no fool to just take things to heart automatically. But this is ridiculous...

"He literally just said he wrestled a Beowolf with his bare hands at the age of ten..."

Before commenting again, Kira took a good listen into Port's lecture. Maybe he had a point. Kira just raised her hands in defeat and narrowed her eyes in the truth that was before her. Zera on the other hand eventually gives up after reading over her notes and seeing that none of it makes any sense. She then just lays her head on her desk and just watches as Port rambles on about his story.

The Bat Eared Faunus, Rena Rena, has officially blocked out Port from her hearing and reads her book as time goes by. Her attention is eventually drawn to Alex as she remembers the night of the official entry ceremony. As Zera was made leader of the team, it was as if she could feel Alex's disappointment. She keeps her eyes on her book, but compels herself to speak.

"You wanted to be leader didn't you?"

Alex looked at Rena Rena stunned at the fact that she managed to figure this out on her own. He goes to speak, but is cut off by Rena Rena, "I didn't know by the way before you ask. Your heartbeat answered to question for you..."

...She can hear my heartbeat? Alex drops his head on the table in a form of defeat, as usual. Much like to idol he live to be like, he wanted his own team to lead, but it seems like the world had other plans for him. It could have just made him the leader out of pity and he felt that he would have been fine with that...but. Out of all these questions, the one he wanted to know the answer to is, "When and how did you come up with that?".

Not looking up from her book, Rena Rena spikes her ears in kind of a wiggling movement, "These ears are not just for show you know. If I focus hard enough, I can even hear one's heartbeat. And you know the old saying, one's heart can't lie."

Not realizing it, but she had revealed a form of entertainment for Alex in this class. Alex's eye began to sparkle with delight with this knowledge, but is brought back to reality as Rena Rena jabs him in the face with the book with narrowed eyes.

"No. My ears are not toys."

Before Alex could speak in his defense, Zera is brought into attention as she can't take this class anymore. Port has been telling a story when he should be teaching a class!

"Isn't he supposed to be teaching something!?"

"Thank you!"

" **DURAN**! / Z-Z-ZERA!"

As Professor Port turns to their side of the class, the school bell goes off. Port rubs his mustache, "Well time does fly by doesn't it. Well I hope that some of you were paying attention as there will be a review tomorrow. Now on to your next class then."

Duran groans in irritation as he rubs his eyes of the dullness of this class he had just walked out of with his team, "This is one class I'll be skipping then...", this earns a ire from Kira as she adjusts her glasses.

"You will do no such thing!"

Alice jumps between the two souls of her team with her grinning smile. She hates to see friends fighting, especially her two important teammates. She rushes past the team's giant Ross and locks her two friends in joyful headlocks.

"~Hey, come on guys! We just escaped the terror of Sir Dull-A-Lot! Surely the next class should be more interesting. Let's see...hey Zera, what's your next class?!~"

Zera pulls out her schedule and gives it a look until...

"Alice Gale Vermillion! With the knowledge that all FRESHMEN student bodies for the next week have to go through an mandatory introduction period, I demand that you unhand me this instant!"

Struggling to get out of hold, Kira makes it clear that their next class is possible the same. Heeding the command, Alice frees Kira from the hold and wraps the other arm around Duran, "Fine. More hugs for Duran...".

Duran groans as he feels uncomfortable where he's at and makes it clear for Alice to let him go as well. As Alice drops him, Zera can't help but laugh at the craziness of Team DARK while Brianna tries to hide her chuckling. Behind them Rena Rena and Alex hold strange expressions of the silliness of the group of friends they have stuck theirselves with. Rena Rena takes a moment to look at Alex, despite his smile of enjoyment, she can easily tell...

"You're an idiot, you know that."

Alex looks at Rena Rena from the comment alone, "I don't know you who you idolized to reach this point, but you shouldn't mistaken them with who you are in person."

Alex was at awe for a moment. Normally one would hear this from an instructor or a parent. But Rena Rena. Someone he had just met and ended up on the same team with...

"You...you wouldn't understand."

"I kind of do...", Alex looks at Rena Rena sincere eyes. She's...serious about this.

"You see...".

"~Hey guys! Come on!~"

( Dean's Office )

"And I thought I'd be glad more students came this year...but nope."

At the time and hour, Weiss would be wondering around the school with her tablet. But unfortunately just like every other freshmen entry year, she had to sort out the acceptance files of those who passed and those who didn't. Mind you, those who didn't pass lived, but they they were sent back home. As Weiss finally finishes the dreadful war with paperwork, her office doors open. Coming through the doors happens to be Blake and her dear friend, Jaune Arc.

As Blake was wearing her usually teacher out involving her customized black shirt similar to her old crop top. She kept her white jacket unable to remove herself from it. She wear black fitted pants as usually but instead of her knee high boots, she had returned to her black high-heel boots with two straps.

Jaune enters the room wearing his white trademark armor over his chest and right shoulder. The shoulder brace now comes with a red cape like add-on hovering down his back side. He wearing a plain black sweater, out growing his "Pumpkin Pete" one, inside the hoodie is a red cloth. He is wearing dark blue jeans with black steel toe boots. Aside from his usual blonde hair and blue eyes, he had received a scar on one of his eyes from one of his battles with Cinder.

"How long are you gonna hold this out on me? I said I was sorry."

"Jaune. You missed a over fifteen foot mantis and a lion as big as a Deathstalker. What do you think would have happened if those students hadn't succeed."

Is she still on that? Weiss raises her hand catching the two's attention. Yeah, it was good to know that none of these guys changed one bit, "But they did succeed, so theres no point going over this any further Blake.", this earned an ear dropping groan from Blake as Weiss turns to Jaune.

"Though it's good to see you Jaune. You'd normally make a call before coming by."

Jaune rubs the back of his head, it hasn't been that long since he's seen Weiss, but she's been so busy as of late with her new title as the Headmistress of New Beacon Academy and Jaune tackling his jobs as teacher and both Mission and Law Management, they rarely see each other outside of business. Unfortunately, this is also one of these days...

"Hahaha, yeah I usually would. But I'm afraid I had to bring news to you personally..."

Weiss ponders the thought for a moment and leans back in her chair, taking a guess of his reasons here at the moment, "Is it either the Troika or the so called Order?".

Jaune looks at Weiss with a stern expression, he doesn't like them any more than she does, but they have getting worst as of the late...

The Troika is nothing more to Weiss than a underground street gang. So far, they used to just cause street fights and the usual gang activities. But as of late, they seemed to have suddenly evolved to robbing dust stores and interfering with huntsmen business.

The newly risen Order however, even with their mole in the underground, they are still a mystery to even Weiss and them. They can't even locate them let alone catch them in the act. They give the phrase "Going Ghost" a whole new meaning. They're basically "Doing the Ghost".

"Both I'm afraid. They had a fall out at a radio site outside to city unfortunately attracting Grimm. The communicational system took some heavy hits and the main server needs to be restored."

Weiss rubs the bridge of her nose in irritation, as if she didn't have enough on her plate. These two have been causing trouble for Vale even during the reconstruction, but it solely seems to be towards each other. She looks at Blake, wondering her side of this news. Blake reads Weiss's expression like a book and gives out her of view on the matter. "I kind of told you if left the Trokia alone, that they would grow to this point. As for the communicational system, Jaune did you send anyone?".

Jaune nods his head to confirm the action he took. These two just got out of the freshmen ceremony and entry exam, and Weiss is still working on the paperwork it seems. The last thing they need is more duties on their plate.

"I sent a scout squad out to recon the damage. As for the communicational system, we have don't have to equipment or anyone to reset it here at the moment. This is where I come to you."

Weiss rests her face in her hands, pondering the next plan of action. There is nothing she can do at the moment and classes had just started up, especially for her freshmen. With this in mind, Weiss comes up the only course of action right now.

"We can do nothing until the replacement sever arrives along with the tech person. Jaune keep me posted on the scouts, including so much as their daily routines. These two...gangs have caused enough trouble as it is without what should be a reason. Blake, I want you to tell that mole of yours to get his tail in gear before I have to wrap it around his neck and choke him with it. The Classes will have to continue as scheduled."

As the two trusted friends of Weiss Schnee nod their heads. Speaking of class, Blake had forgotten she left Nora in charge of watching over her freshmen class.

"Hopefully Nora hasn't over worked my students. All she has to do is introduce them to physical training."

Jaune looks at Blake, familiar with two certain teams coming into the Academy, "Won't those two teams be intending that class? I'm sure they'll be fine."

Blake looks back at the blonde buffoon with narrowed eyes, stating something she had not forgotten, "Yes Jaune. The same students you almost killed."

"Oh My God Blake!"

( Blake's Class )

Blake could not believe what she was seeing at this moment.

"COME ON NEW BLOOD SLACKERS! MY GRANDMA RUNS FASTER THEN THAT!"

...They are experiencing hell at the moment. Watching over Blake's class is the Gym Fitness instructor ( As the RWBY Fan-Base should expect ) Professor Nora Valkyrie.

With her usual cheerful smile demeanor, she had grown her hair out and wrapped it into two chinese like pony-tails. Ditching the armor, she wears kind of Shaolin-Monk-like outfit. Her shirt dawns her loving color of white and pink, she's added a pink cracked heart on the side, over the shirt she wears a black clothed sleeveless vest. With her black fitted combat pants, she's wearing wrist and ankle protectors reaching from her gloved hands and sandal covered feet to both her elbows and knees.

"Though it amazing how she still moves like that at her age."

Nora doing her introduction period is having the class do three laps around her personally made obstacle course, "The Red Valkyrie".

Blake had told her to get rid of that thing! It was just a series of lawsuits waiting to happen!

Within Team ZBRA, Zera who is always proud of her physical endurance, is struggling to even carry the passed out Brianna on her back, while Alex drags whatever he believes is left of himself while Rena Rena managed to sneak away in the middle of course and hide out women's locker area...before Nora figured it out and dragged her back out on the course.

Team DARK however, while Ross seems unfazed by the chaos of the course, Duran who had made it to the finish line dropping to his knees and hands with Alice who's ears are smothering at the tips drops on the ground next to him.

Kira however, she was lost in the middle of the red dust geysers. Duran told her not to wear those stupid heels but no, she said she'd be fine. Kira is the last of the gang to make through the course and feels like she twisted her ankle to the point of it being broken. In fact to her, this whole obstacle course looked like a hell-on-earth.

"And...we're done..." This caused the class to sigh with relief, especially teams dark and zbra.

"...With the warm up! Now lets get down to the REAL workout!", The whole class dropped in dread with a crying hyena bursting into tears. Kira felt like whatever bad deed she did in the past, came back to torment her in human form.

"This...is one class...I'll be skipping..."

Duran looked at Kira with a smug look on his face, he couldn't help but chuckle at Kira's suffering, "You will do no such thing..."

!

"Listen...here you..."

Nora smiled at the class seeing them make it through her track. Especially the two teams before her as she watched the two souls bicker back and forth. Yeah, she heard of their accomplishments during their test in the Emerald Forest. It took her back when her team took the exam along with RWBY, those were the days. The last few years of students nearly bored her to death, but something about this years fresh bloods hot her blood flowing.

"Nora, what is this?!"

Nora turns to face her good combat friend, Blake...who's eyes are narrowed and in disbelief into what she is seeing. Nora is unfazed by this and looks with a proud smirk on her face.

"I'm teaching the class! I'm teaching your class!"

Blake just palms her face into realizing her mistake. Nora is prone to going over the top, but this, "You were supposed to be introducing my combat training class. It looks like you just skipped into introducing your own course."

Before Nora can claim her defense, the school bell rings for the students, "Whelp, that's the bell little kitties. Be sure to eat while and fill those bellies! See you all tomorrow!"

With that Nora walks away from the class with her usual trademark smile on her face, leaving them at awe with how much energy she still has. Blake just sighs as Nora leaves waving, she looks back at her exhausted class and comes up with an alternative.

"Due to sudden changes in your schedules, I'll be giving you an extra hour of recess, listen for your scrolls as I will inform you of the time to come to class."

This of course leaves the gang at awe into how much energy Nora had left, even Zera who is proud of her endurance and strength is in shock herself.

"There is no way she's human. And we have a whole school term with her!"

Ross just lazily shrugged his shoulders as he watching everyone else around him drop dead, proving that it looks like he, himself, is capable of surviving Nora's class, "It wasn't that bad."

Everyone then looked at Ross with a strange expression, "Are you freaking serious?!"


	8. Chapter 7 : The Mantel

**\- RWBY Fables Chapter 7 : The Mantel -**

( The Amphitheater Training Room )

In the middle of the room, we catch Duran with his swords drawn with a female student wielding a naginata in front of him. The girl in question charges at twirling her weapon in hopes of causing confusion, but as the girl stops to go for a right side swipe, Duran parries by knocking it upward by hitting it with his left handed sword in a quick twisting movement.

Finishing, Duran dashes at the girl, performing a slide and tripping her in the processing using his right foot. As the girl lands on her knee, Duran knocks the poor girl in the face using the same foot he tripped her with, causing the girl to fall backwards. As the girl lands on her back side, walking from the dark side of the room is the Combat Training Instructor, Professor Blake Belladonna. She presses several buttons on her tablet, causing the room lights of the exposing amphitheater to come on.

"Nice performance Mr. Raglan, but please keep in mind that your fellow students, such as Miss Vornado here, would like to keep their...teeth where they are.", As Duran raises his hands in a sighing movement, one could hear Alice laughing loudly at the moment. She's a Hyena, she can't help it. It is their official fourth week of their time here at New Beacon Academy. A month has pasted already. They are attending their usual combat training class, taught by the obvious Blake Belladonna, I mean, who else right.

The girl gets up and wonders to her team who are tossing ugly looks at Duran. This wouldn't be the first time Duran got rough in training, but you can't help either. He has proven time and again that he wasn't trained to just "fight", but to survive. Fighting just came in the package to him.

But that's not the problem.

Kira is no fool, these past few days it looked like Duran had been getting more aggressive as of late. Almost like it was stress relief. Alice also felt like there was something wrong with Duran. He was an amazing fighter sure, but he's hasn't been this aggressive. Taking a guess, felt like there was something upsetting him. She would normally ask if he was well, but as receive the same answer that he was fine. As

Blake presses several more buttons on her tablet to verify other students who had not participated in the training area. While coming to notice that Duran had been challenged one too many times, she noticed rarely any notes on Brianna of Team ZBRA. Though her long range effectiveness is to be recognized, her close combat prowess could use some work, "Ms. Terla?"

Brianna raises up, caught off guard by the sudden interest in her, Blake continues with full eye contact, "I've notice that though your long range capabilities is to be rewarded, your close range effectiveness could use work. Let's see if we can find you an opponent." As Brianna stands into a shaking gesture a sudden voice shouts from the stands.

"I like a challenge from Duran Raglan!"

Blake along with Duran look across the room to see someone standing from his seat. The blonde pony-tailed boy in question...looked stupid. He had on a white button up shirt and blue fitted pants. His cruel looking green eyes gazed Duran's direction, ignoring Brianna entirely, which angered Zera and Alex, but didn't interest Rena Rena at all. Blake just looks up the boy with narrowed eyes annoyed with his distribution. What about Duran is causing the other students to pick a freaking fight with him?!

"I don't mind, looks like his face could use remodeling anyway.", Duran gives a cynical comment which causes Blake to look away from the student in question.

"Such an ugly creature! I'll be sure to..."

...It looks like she got her answer.

"Okay stop! Mr. Raglan, go sit down. Now Mister...Vincent Cross of...freshmen Team VEGA, really Weiss is it? I'm afraid Mr. Raglan already underwent enough challenges today. But if you're so eager to fight, maybe Brianna would be a suitable replacement."

The boy now known as Vincent rubs the back of his head in disappointment, he had wanted to take on Duran today but it looks like luck is not in his favor. But he doesn't feel comfortable taking on that Brianna girl either, the girl looked like a nervous wreck. But, what can one do. As he raises his hands in agreement, "I don't take pride in beating weaklings. Well, I guess if life hands you apples..."

This causes Alice solely tilts her head in ponder into Vincent's witty comment.

"~ I thought it was lemons? ~"

Kira adjusts her glasses in annoyance, what's happening can not be happening, "Don't understand the logic of this idiot please."

As Alice proceeds with her usually laughter, Brianna braces herself and made way for the ring, she is stopped by Alex who is looking at her with concern, "Brianna listen, this guy, I have a bad...If you don't want to, you don't have to."

Brianna just places her hand on Alex's and grants him comfort into the matter. Sure, she felt nervous about fighting in up close battles, but after her performance against Grimm Leo, she feels the need to improve herself. She wishes not to be a burden on her team.

"I c-c-can do this."

As Brianna makes way for the ring, Alex feels a tug on his shoulder. Turning, it is Zera thumbing up Alex, "Don't worry your pretty little head, Brianna's got this."

Behind them both, is Rena Rena looks at the concerned Alex and sighs in release.

XXX

In the center of the arena Brianna had drawn her Eagle Brace in blaster mode, while this Vincent guy, has taken out his weapon which involves a single crossbow gauntlet with claws. Of which Alice calls him to a copy right! They eventually seize their circle walk. As Brianna readies her blaster, Vincent readies his claws and gets into his stance. Blake just shakes her head with a raised hand, minutes past as Blake finally drops her hand.

"Begin."

In an instant, Brianna opens fire upon Vincent. The claw master dodges the barrage of fire with amazing acrobatics, getting some form of safety from the fire, Vincent fires a cross bow arrow at Brianna, of which she ducks with eyes not leaving her target. But before she could pull the target, she caught the sound of his arrow going off. It was bomb attached. Brianna jumps to the side, witnessing the arrow exploding. It wasn't until she glances back at Vincent dashing for a swipe attack, realizing that she couldn't evade two things at once, she decides to take a swipe to her side.

This indeed causes her team, especially Alex to rise up in worry and anger.

Taking a cut to the waist, Brianna slides from the explosion, she changes the clip of her Eagle Brace, the clip in question was red and gave it a smaller shotgun look. Vincent gets cocky for a moment and dashes towards Brianna as she pulls the trigger. Though a shot was heard, there was no bullets in Vincent's eyes as he continues his dash. What happened next was unexpected. If he could describe it, it felt like a shock wave struck him in the chest, forcing him back.

"Huh? Argh!", as Vincent regain his bearings and register what happened, he caught the sound of Brianna opening fire. Charging his aura into his weapon, he slams his claw blades on the ground, causing an explosion into calling forth protective smoke in order to hide away.

Alice made it clear that she didn't like this so called VIncent guy, booing him endlessly on the stands. Blake just shakes her head in disgust...

As Brianna seized fire unable to see Vincent, Brianna took this time to change the extension clip on her rifle, she pulls out a yellow clip and attaches it to her rifle. The yellow clip in question was a bit diffirent than the one he used in Emberald Forest.

Everyone else on the stands notices Brianna's clip change, much to Alice's cheering, "~ Come on Brianna! You can take him! She can take him right? ~"

Even Kira herself seems amazed at Brianna's growth, but seems to want to point out things, "All she seemed to do is improve her firearm capabilities. That won't always help you in a fight..."

"Says someone who doesn't possess a firearm."

Duran arrives at the stands where his team is, causing Kira to cross her arms and blow. Alice in turns laughs in apology and Ross shrugs his shoulders. Alex watches and worries for Brianna and as to Rena Rena watches the fight itself.

Zera on the other hand, recognizes the clip in question, her lion ears drop in what's about to come next. Brianna plans on hitting her target one way or other.

"Uh oh..."

Vincent once again goes for a dash attack showing off incredible speed. In turn, Brianna ducks an fires upon Vincent, he dodges the bullet of course, but what happen next was amazing in Alice's eyes.

The laser bullet in question hits the wall behind the claw master, but it bounces off...no reflecting off of it's surface, earning "everyone's" ducking attention. Even Blake ducks under it's path with wide eyes.

"What the heck?!"

Not able to completely register the reflecting bullets path, Vincent is eventually hit in the waist, groaning in pain he falls to the ground as his aura level drops to red. As soon as the reflecting bullet I guess seizes function, Blake rises from her position.

As her cat ears unfolds, she calls the match. "And that's the match, though Ms. Terla, I'd like to ask you not involve bystanders into the fight, if you would please."

Brianna rubs the back of her head in a apologetic fashion as Zera walks up and slaps her friend in the back, causing her fall face down on the ground. As Zera lifts her back up, Alex looks at Brianna. Just a few weeks ago, he had judged Brianna's combat abilities just off of first impressions alone, twice. But he had just witnessed Brianna hold her own in close range combat and win at that. He didn't feel much like a good leader at that moment. But a hand touched his shoulder, he looks at Rena Rena who nods her head.

As he looks at Brianna, the bell rings.

"I suppose that's it for class, remember your assignments are due tomorrow and report to Ms. Adel to have your weapons maintained if needed."

As the gang leaves the amphitheater classroom, Alice takes her time celebrating her two friends winnings, especially Brianna, "~ That was amazing you guys! Oh I can't wait until field work! ~"

Kira raises her glasses in a groan. Of course, Kira wanted more field training and perhaps a bit of field work, but she felt as if they weren't ready for the take. She hadn't even received her new weapon she ordered yet. She'd preferred to not go into random fights without it.

"One, I'm sure we have to go through five or six weeks of classes before that. Two, though I, by surprise, agree with you, I rather not rush this. This is only our third week of school. I'd prefer we learn all we can."

Duran just sighs and gives his usual two cents of cynical opinions. This is starting to be Duran's thing at this point to her, "I was told a whole month, but yeah Kira, let's wait until your new weapon to come in..."

Or cynical teasing.

As Kira glares at Duran with narrowed eyes, he continues his statement on the matter, "Though in forms of honesty, I like a bit of field work myself."

Zera raises his fists up in the air in a warrior's like cheer expression. Alex and Rena Rena walk behind the group, Alex takes this time to give his thanks, "I guess it isn't so bad..."

Rena Rena glances Alex's direction, he looks like he had a bit of revelation. She smirks at him, glad that Alex is a bit over not being leader, it had been bothering him as well as bothering her. But Rena Rena had to make one thing clear to him. Just because he wasn't the leader of the team, doesn't mean he doesn't work.

"Don't think you're off easy, you'll have to pull your own weight."

Alex smiles with confidence as he looks at Rena Rena, "No need to worry about that, I'll pull more than my fair share of the weight."

Though Rena Rena caught what he meant after spending a lot of time with him, some among everyone else...kind of interrupted it differently. Especially Alice, who after a brief sense of silence burst out in laughter. As Rena Rena look away, Alex just dropped his head in defeat, but quickly rose it back up to join in the sense of laughter.

Behind both parties stood Duran as he watched the seen smirking himself, until a voice called out from behind him, "Okay Duran, what's wrong?"

Duran looked behind him to catch Kira with her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed. As if she was glaring into his soul, Kira wanted to point out his changes in behavior.

"Professor Belladonna had already spoken to you about your aggressiveness in the class. And I've noticed that you've been falling asleep in class as of late, let alone you've been having difficulties sleeping-"

"Have you been watching me in my sleep?", Duran cocks an eye brow at Kira as she states all these facts to him. Granted he didn't much of liked Kira and he wasn't her favorite either, but he can't deny her attention to details. He has been having problems as how late. Problems that doesn't concern them. As she goes into instant denial, Duran pats her shoulder and walks off, "It's nothing to worry about. It'll pass."

Kira watches Duran walk off, narrowing her eyes. This lone wolf thing he's been doing was starting to get on her nerves, in truth she knows that this must for been his first time having to work in a group period. But this is something he had to work out of. They're a team now at this point, whether if even she liked it or not.

Kira is brought out of her train of thought as Alice takes off after Duran, zipping past her as Ross who was following stops next to her, wondering what's on her mind. "Is something on your mind, Lady Kira?"

She shakes her head and proceeds after her two idiots, "Nothing right not Ross. And what did I tell you about the Lady thing?!"

Ross just shrugs his shoulder as he follows his partners in-arms.


	9. Chapter 8 : The Wander's Duty

**\- RWBY Fables Chapter 8 : The Wander's Duty -**

( - )

 _"Heat..."_

 _"That is the only thing I feel as the red flames engulf my surroundings, I can't breath, it hurts to move. Was I to weak, couldn't I protect her? Was it my fault?"_

 _In this burning building before you lays a young boy, beaten, battered, burnt, weak...his home was attacked and he lays waiting for death._

 _"D-an, -ng -n." The comfort and embrace of a red haired woman shields him from the flames before him. He can do nothing but cling on to whatever life he had left as it slowly slips away..._

 _"D-r-n! D-an!" / "A-c- Do-t -uch h-m!_

 _A voice continues to call out to him, but he is too weak to acknowledge it's existence._

 _"-or-y, I'm -o S-r-y."_

 _The boys eyes slowly closes, until he is embrace with warmth, that wasn't from the flames, the woman glowed with a bright aura that covered the boy, surprisingly healing his wounds and bruises._

 _The boy then gets up, feeling renewed, he looks at the woman still on the ground, "Mom come on! We gotta..."_

 _The woman was no longer there, what had taken it's place was a burnt corpse of a woman. The flames continue to engulf the room as the boy stood alone, looking for his mother in the flames as the building begins to cave in..._

( Team DARK Room )

"~ FIRE IN THE HOLE! ~"

"Alice don't!"

In the chaos of the room of Team DARK, Alice had fired a fire extinguisher at Duran, causing him to wake up flailing his arms and legs around. He jolts up from his bed feeling like someone had stuck him in a freaking microwave, but what bothers him is that he is covered in something that looks like soap to him. He looks around the room catching everyone surrounding his bed and Alice with a freaking fire extinguisher. Before he could catch himself, Duran lost his temper.

"Alice, what the hell is wrong with you?!"

Alice jerks at Duran's sudden anger as she drops her ears stepping behind Ross, but after what they witnessed, Kira immediately retaliates. Alice practically safe his life and this is the thanks she gets. Oh no, not on her watch!

"Excuse ME?! What's wrong with Alice?! What the hell is wrong with YOU?! I heard of heatstrokes, but this is ridiculous! Look at yourself, you ungraceful bastard!"

Duran takes time to examine himself. Aside from smothering with steaming sweat, it looks like he had burnt the bed sheets a little. It's obvious to him what happened, this wasn't the first time it happened in his life. But no one else besides "her" knows about this, and causes Kira to still demand both respect for Alice and answers for everyone.

"You felt like you were hitting a boiling point! Alice was the first to wake up and she tried everything to wake you from...whatever it was! A Nightmare?! An Attack!? Look at her, you shit-pit!"

She then grabs one of the sadden Alice's hands and showed it to him. Duran could only feel his heart drop as he looked at her right blackened charred hand, he could tell that it hurt to so much as move the fingers let alone ball it up if she wanted. If you blew on it, she'd properly break into tears. It appeared that Alice tried to shake him at one point and burned her hand in the process. And she still managed to hold on to a extinguisher and fire upon him?

Duran felt an ass at that moment...

"And here you are throwing a hissy fit because she shot you with Extinguisher Dust!? She properly saved your ass you heartless -"

"What's going on in here?!"

As Kira's rant continues, the room door swings open. Entering the room and turning on the light is Professor Belladonna running the morning rounds. She had caught wind of a fire extinguisher missing and went to find the culprit until she apparently came across Team DARK's room and heard the yelling. Upon turning on the light, she did happen to find her culprit. But above all that, she found Duran with burnt charred bed sheets and he appears to be cover in Extinguish Dust.

Putting the pieces together, it seemed clear that the steaming Duran was the cause of whatever happened in here.

"Alice...go put the extinguisher back where ever you got it. You two, Ms. Tabito and Mr. Raglan, you'll report to the guidance office after breakfast."

Blake then closes the door as Alice makes way with the extinguisher, her ears still dropped. Kira looks at her so called team leader with narrow eyes, she was still angry at his outburst towards Alice, but she felt the need to know what happened. Kira isn't blind, it was obvious to her that Duran had been getting a bit rough or/and even increasingly agitated these past few days. His roughness in training didn't appear to her as intention, but...a form of release.

"Duran, what happened?"

Duran just looked up at Kira for a few moments, then turns around in his bed, disposing of his sheets and grabbing his jacket, using it as a substitute blanket.

"Nothing to concern yourself with..."

Kira about went on her rant again, but is stopped by the giant Ross. He too is a little upset with Duran as well as concern for him. But whatever it is that is bothering him, it was personal, "Don't press it, he'll talk about it when he's ready."

With that Kira swung her arm away from Ross and went to find Alice. Ross stood at Duran's bed, watching over him seeing he was the only one in the room at the moment.

( The Library )

"How do you come up with these answers Bree?"

Team ZBRA are currently in the school library going over Professor Port's review. Zera is struggling in the class and asked Brianna for assisstance. It was a few minutes before class starts and they hadn't finish their assignment, thus decided to finish it together.

"Anyone heard anything from Team DARK yet?"

Alex is the first to speak, his head raising from his book having heard of the incident with Team DARK. Hopefully someone heard something about them. Brianna hoping to answer Alex's question, only gives what she heard, "What I-I heard is t-t-that Professor Be-Belladonna asked for them in her o-o-office after breakfast. Apparently d-d-Duran had some form of a-a-attack and his aura turn a-a-active."

Alex just sighs at her answer, it wasn't much to ease with. Rena Rena looks away from her book towards Alex, "You shouldn't worry about it. I'm sure they're fine."

Zera with her head on the table surrounded by books, she should be studying, makes a mention on the matter. As a warrior herself, she had come to notice several behavioral changes in Duran, like there was something he was trying to hold back and only now was it starting to surface.

"They're a tough bunch, but Duran is hard as steel. Whatever it is, I'm sure they'll resolve it."

Everyone then looks at Zera as Brianna states the obvious, "S-s-Should you be s-s-studying?"

"Don't you sass me, little girl!"

"Shhhhh!"

After Zera outburst, their attention is drawn to the librarian, Ms. Velvet Scarlatina. Her ears are down and has a finger on her lips. Her eyes are narrowed as her incredible hearing allowed her to easily point out the loud culprits. Team ZBRA just stunk into their chairs and apologized in full.

"Sorry Ms. Scarlatina."

As the four sunk into their seats, across from them, they had apparently earned the attention of a white haired boy in the room as he listened to the latest news.

( Guidance Office )

Blake sits with Duran in the guidance office reading over his student files. According to Kira's story, Duran appeared to have had a nightmare resulting in his body heating up. And that was putting it lightly, Duran had charred his bed sheets enough to be completely replaced. And what happened to Alice's hands... It was clear that his semblance had to be fire based, so she ordered fire proof sheets for him. But, what caused this to happen actually? What triggered this?

She looks up from her files and looks at Duran, "Okay Duran, we've ordered new sheets for your bedding. But now I believe we must address the matter. What actually happened this morning?"

The one thing you must know able Duran is that he keeps everything personal under lock and key. Everything that is his own business, he keeps to himself. He had to guess that these past few weeks as leader of a team had actually been bothering him as of late, causing him to wonder if he is actually strong enough for the job. If he was strong enough to...

Thus resulting in stress and the recent nightmares. He looks at Blake with his usual stoic expression, not wanting to involve people into his personal life, but he knew he could just pull any lie, so he just states the obvious, "It's nothing professor. It was just a attack that comes and goes really."

As Blake listen to his excuse, she didn't buy it one bit. It was basically a page out of one of her books, "feinting ignorance". To hide something that's truly bothering you, leaving only yourself to deal with the problem. The only trick is...you have to be able to deal with it alone. In Blake's eyes, whatever has been bothering Duran, had been bothering him for a well. She felt like she was looking at herself in the mirror. Whatever it was that was bothering him, he didn't wish to bother people with his own matters. Much like she was with the White Fang. She leans her chin into her hands and closes her eyes, proceeding to speak to him.

"Duran, I won't press the matter of your - attacks -, I'll just ask you to take care of yourself okay. Relax easy, properly eat well..."

Blake then looks at Duran with her amber eyes, almost as if they were piercing his soul in order to place an important message, an message that had told to her countless times.

"...and know that whatever it is that's bothering you, you don't have to shoulder it alone."

Duran raises an eye brow to Blake's statement, he has heard this somewhere before. Countless times, but never has he payed it any mind. In truth, if Blake was the same she had been in the past, they would have been alike. They could have been the other's shadow or something. Each had a scarred past they didn't want to so much as late at. No matter the difference or the crimes they made. But to Blake, she felt like this sudden connection has caused her to form a obligation to help him from whatever was bothering him. Much like - they - did for her.

"Now, you don't have to tell them if you don't want to, and you don't have to tell me. But at the very least, you're part of a team now. It's okay to rely on them. Not everyone can make their ways alone."

The message looking like it may have sunk in a bit if at all, Blake shows Duran the door. Guiding him out the room.

( The Dorm-B Hallway )

Duran parts ways from Professor Belladonna, walking down the hall on his way to class. He wonders down the hall thinking about what she said as it ran through his mind like it was on a loop. He shouldn't handle things alone.

'-We're see about that-'

He shrugs his shoulders as he places a mental note of her message, until his attention is drawn to a hyena in the hallway. One of her hands are still wrapped in bandages and her black tipped ears are down as she holds a face of worry...

"Alice?"

With that, the hyena's ear jolt upward as her hazel colored eyes look back. He could easily tell that she had been waiting there a while.

"Oh...Ah, Duran. Hey, how was your 'talk' with the professor?"

 _'Has she been waiting there this whole time? For me after everything that happened?'_

Duran stands in front of her with a weight of pain as he looked at her hand, remembering his wrongful outburst. He hate to admit it for it would have heightened Kira's ego, but she was right to have yelled at Duran. Despite his...personal problems, he had no right to have attacked Alice who did more to take care of him than everyone else in the room.

"It wasn't much of anything, just told me to take care of myself and all that. They're going to replace my sheets." Alice nods her head, understanding that he wasn't in any trouble. She had been worried about him lately and his change in behavior hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Alice...how's the hand?" Alice looks at Duran as he scratches the back of his head, her full attention is drawn to him. Duran realized he rushed it a bit.

"Listen, I'm...sorry about this morning. I...failed to catch myself and..."

Duran is cut off by her snickering smile. She waves her bandaged hand at him pulling forth her usual smile, "~ Hey it's alright. The nurse said my hand would be fine by next week if I don't mess with it! A week vacation! ~"

He stands in awe of Alice's optimism, almost as if his outburst didn't happen, like there was nothing for him to apologize for in that case. Alice was just pleased with the fact that Duran was a little better than he was before. To her, his ways of an apology prove it. He eventually shrugged his shoulders and waved his hand to Alice, "Come on Alice, I'll walk you back to the room."

"~What?! But what about class?!~"

Duran chuckles at Alice heartfelt response stating that the nurse just said for her to leave her hand alone. Aside from all of this, Blake watches from the side of the hall, she has lost here skills in stealth just yet. Blake hadn't talked to someone about his problems yet, not like it would have been that easy, but at least he seemed to have open his world to people again, even if it's only to whoever he wants right now.

Duran was starting to make way of mental or spiritual progress and that was enough for her, perhaps for them even. Though as Blake watched them eventually meet up with the others as well as catch the sight of Kira scolding Duran again instantly, she couldn't help but feel like she was watching her past looking at them.

She missed those days greatly. She missed Ruby, she missed Yang. As she thought about them, she caught herself shedding a tear. She wonders what they were doing out there. She is brought out of her train of thought as her tablet started going off.

It was Weiss...

Start Making Mission Preparations

( Elsewhere )

"So you upped and lost to a nobody...on purpose you say...for a man with constant beauty, you make a lot of beautiful excuses."

A cruel female voice echoes around a broken room, tapping her fingers on a table, she sounds displeased with someone on the scroll. Her light purple long hair reaches to down her shoulder blades. The jacket she's wearing is leaning from the right side of her body, over her black striped shirt and jeans. Her hair covers one of her gray lilac eyes and judging by her facial expression, she's not happy.

"Whatever just...just keep in touch."

She shuts her scroll and curses under her breathe. She continues to sit at the desk, tapping at the situation at just unfolded. As she then looks at a letter sent to them labeled "EMPLOYER", someone else enters the room, a rat breed faunus steps forward hands together, pacing and shaking. The girl groans as she face palms herself at the boy presence, "You're popping pills again are you."

The boy nods his head and proceeds to speak, however his words are quite illiterate, "Popping easing, mind working. Ratchet brings bad tells."

Working with this rat long enough, she's learned how to interrupt whatever he says, "What is it Ratchet?"

"Dish work no good, Ms. Yellow thing in way again! Burnt us good."

"During the dish raid!?"

"Yes ma'am..."

"Shit...Doing all this work for a employer who won't even show themselves to us."

The boy now known as Ratchet raises his hands in the air, once again speaking in turn, "Troika ain't no one bitch! Stop the fooling!"

The girl rubs her eyes, making it clear to him that she doesn't like this idea either, but however is sending these letters have been supplying them as of late, she rises from her chair picking up her steel baseball bat in the process, making her way to the door. She chuckles at Ratchet's comment, stating one clear fact of honesty.

"Let's not be to hasty Rat Boy, I wanna see where this goes. Will everything ready for the raid operation?"

Ratchet pull out a sadistic smile on his face, excited beyond belief, "Vale train be ours!"

She then walks out the door, looking down at what happens to be a abandon playground skate park. She grins at the flag pole before her, looking at the Troika Gang flag. She then looks down at all the members below her; runaways, thugs, and cutthroats, even expelled huntsmen and huntresses students here and there. The New World had denied them of something, and who ever this employer is, is just a bridge to take it back.

"Good. Continue as planned."


	10. Chapter 9 : The Weekend Blitz Part 1

**\- RWBY Fables Chapter 9 : The Weekend Blitz ( Part 1 ) -**

( A Diner in Vale )

"~This is delicious! Why didn't you tell us about this place earlier?"

The voice of a happy hyena can be heard through a certain diner in the city of Vale. It was the weekend for Team DARK and they are spending there first few minutes of the morning in a diner called "Grace's Diner Cafe". Apparently Duran was going to come alone to meet someone, however because Kira wanted to dig her nose in his business, the whole team came along.

It's not what Kira had thought, but she was enjoying herself with the meal, "I must say, I am surprised Duran. I had though that you was streets in the streets downtown."

Duran looked at the smart mouth sorceress with narrowed eyes. Her mouth had been running ever since her family weapon came in from Atlas. It had been getting on his nerves as of late and wanted to give her a piece of his mind, but before he could, a set of refilled cups hit the table. Carrying the tray of cups was Duran's care ward, The Shiba Inu Faunus, Grace Take-Ra.

Her large Shiba Inu tail wagged with excitement of her Duran's return to the diner, despite it took him two months to do it. But by her surprise, he brought friends with him, "Here your drinks. I must say I am surprised, I didn't think you'd bring such big company with you back home!"

Duran didn't intend to bring them at all, but seeing the person who took care of him while he was young smile the way she was, he could try to tolerate at. Heck, he might have found the a little hang out spot for them. He just smirks and tilts his head towards Ross who was next to him.

"If you're referring to Ross, I hope the kitchen staff was up for the challenge. I decided to stop by because we'll be starting missions next month and I wanted to stop by before than."

Grace smiled at the news with her tail wagging intensively and started waving her hand, "Oh I'm glad you did! And don't worry about your big friend over there. The staff needed some work anyway. I'm just glad you have friends to hang out with! I thank you all for putting up with Duran so long."

As Kira rolls her eyes, Alice laughs telling her it was no problem. They attention is eventually drawn to Ross as he watches the news, "What happened there?"

The gang turns to the television as the news reporter speaks of the latest robbery. A Dust Shop close by was attack just yesterday day and the only things that were stolen were pure Dust Crystals. Grace places a hand on her chin as she watched the news statement, familiar with these case of attacks.

"That would be the fourth one now. Hopefully they're not over working you father to hard."

( What... )

Duran raises an eye brow to Grace's statement about the attack on the Dust Shop, "How long has this been going on?"

Grace turns to Duran as he shows interest in the latest story. Normally she'd tell him not to worry about it, but now that he was a student huntsmen it is kind of his job to know these things let alone stop and prevent them. Her nods herself back into form and tells Duran and his team about the attacks.

"During these past two weeks, a gang calling themselves the Troika started to raid Dust Shops at night, strangely only stealing Dust Crystals. These attacks have been growing as of late and happening more quickly apparently since the last attack was just three days ago."

The team looks at each other for a bit upon hearing the story. Dust Crystal these days aren't cheap, that's true. But why would a gang steal so much of them. Alice is the first to speak, "We should go on a steak out."

Everyone drops their heads as Grace herself chuckles at the mere thought.

Kira adjusts her glasses as she processed to speak reason into her hyena friend, "Alice, that'd be way out of our current standing. And even if we wanted, we don't know where to store."

"Actually, for four Dust Shops to be robbed in a span of two weeks, they'd have to be close to each other. And if this one was robbed three days after the other one, then they are going for Dust Shops that should be streets apart.", they gang listens to Duran's logic into the Dust Raiding events transpiring. In truth, it's all sound to them, even Kira herself is surprised into Duran logic.

"To add to this, Dust Crystals are highly protected by stores that can afford the security. They're basically going for the stores that have the lesser protection and lacking security systems. Not to mention they basically rushed the latest one. They're getting sloppy."

As Kira heeded this outlook of Duran, she only pondered one sole thought to it all, "How could you possibly know all this?"

Duran makes full eye contact with Kira as he pleads his case. He may not look it, but unfortunately, Duran has had experience with the underground. He's learned how most things work and who to go and talk to, "I've had outside experience before hand."

As Kira looked on, Alice calls for attention as she has her official lead, thanks to her best friend Duran, "Then we find the the Dust Store closest to that one! It can't be that hard!"

As Kira goes to make her claim, they are call forth by Ross who is still eating his burger, "Before we do anything, can I finish eating first?"

As the gang could only stare at Ross with Alice laughing, Grace could only chuckle at the people Duran had surrounded himself with. To her, it's been so long since Duran had let or allowed people into his life this way. If only 'she' was alive to see this.

( Sometime later in Vale )

"I can't believe you talked me into this."

Unfortunately for Kira, the team had decided to look into the robberies. Kira groans into the course of actions they are taking, as they approach the attacked Dust Shop which is being investigated at the moment. A city cop approaches them.

"Sorry, but this shop is closed for investigation."

Duran just looks past the cop in question, noticing a strange symbol on the building, he then looks back at the cop, "Really sherlock. What clued you in?"

The cop could just stare in awe as he caught the sound of Alice's snickering.

"Duran! Please excuse his lack of respect, but we're student Huntsmen and Huntress of New Beacon Academy. We would like to at least know what happened here."

The cop excused Duran's language as he explained the robbery, "While there's not much to explain. The shop keep left the shop and moments after the shop was raided. They broke through the window and only stole Dust Crystals."

"What's happening over here?"

The cop attention is drawn to Jaune, who happened to be in town. He walks over to the cop and notices Team DARK. This is first time seeing them in public, "You're Team DARK right? What are doing here?"

Before Kira could speak, Duran beats her to it and explains their reasons for being here, "This shop is close to my ward's Diner. I wanted to see what happened?"

Jaune nods at his statement, he of all people knows the feeling of protecting someone, "There was a robbery here and it's being looked into, apparently just as he said, they only stole pure dust crystals."

Duran cocks an eye brow at Jaune's statement into the matter at hand, "Pure Dust Crystals? What would a band of thugs want with those?"

Jaune waves a hand at the students before him, "Listen guys, I understand that you feel the need to get involved, but I suggest you guys just enjoy your weekend. It's all under control."

Before Duran could plead his case, he is stopped by Kira who has raised her hands and states defeat, "Well you heard Professor Arc, it's under control. There's no need for us to get involved any further."

With this, the team walks away from the scene. As they gain a certain distance from the professor, Duran states the obvious, "They're on borrowed time."

Kira looks at Duran after that statement, "Excuse me?"

Duran raises his hand and claims a possible chance to catch the robbers, "They're on borrowed time. With a renown huntsmen on the case, they're gonna have to pick up the pace of their raids. They're gonna make a mistake event eventually."

Don't get her wrong, she wanted to catch these guys, but not at the chance of getting in trouble. Kira is now annoyed with this idea of a quest to catch the band of thieves, "Did you not hear Professor Arc? He said he under everything under control."

"He has one building out of an entire city under control. A building that had already been robbed. That's not exactly having things under control. That's just being in one spot and not knowing where to go next. By the time they realize that, another store would have been robbed."

Kira could only drop her head in defeat in the truth of fact that Duran just explained to her. There was no telling which store would be next. The only clues they have is that the stores in question were close to each other and are getting closer with each raid, "Even if that's the case, we still don't know where the next attack would be?"

"~These stores are next to each other right? Let's just next few closest ones and see what happens.", Alice points out perhaps the only available option they have. Looking up on her scroll, there are two Dust Shops close to the one they just came from, there are several points between the two of which they can steak them out at the same time.

This is starting to be the few things Kira wasn't taught to be as a huntress.

( New Beacon Academy / Headmistress Office )

Weiss had just received the call on the server she had ordered for the communication tower. Upon it's arrival, she had decided to move the mission schedule to become active the next coming month. The reason for this was obvious. Though New Beacon Academy was fully restored, there are still parts inside as well as outside the capital of Vale that are still in need of aid as well as still in reconstruction.

It was a miracle that Vale had recovered as fast as it did, but it still didn't have the same level of man power it had since the Battle of Beacon. Heck, most of their aid came from the other kingdoms as well as the student bodies. But to escort a technician to a radio tower that is slowly over run by Grimm at the moment to fix the sever, she couldn't just send in any team.

Her train of thought is disturbed as Blake enters the room, receiving the notice about the early mission movements, "This is earlier than last years. What's the occasion?"

Weiss just rolls her eyes at Blake's idea of humor, "I just received notice of the sever I order for the radio tower. Since we lack to professional huntsmen power, I've decided to have a student team both protect and escort the technician while shadowing a huntsmen."

Blake crosses her arms at Weiss's reason. She could have easily sent Blake to complete the task, but she'd rather send students instead. Granted Blake knew that they were still struggling on man power, since most of Beacon's Finest were Instructors or retired, but to send student and a shadowing huntsmen on the task. Blake felt like she was taking another page out of Ozpin's books.

However, Blake decided to allow it, on one condition, "I'm shadowing."

"Blake..."

Blake raises her to silence the Headmistress, she was going to allow this, but she had to make sure the shadowing students were well protected, "This idea is sound, but my decision still stands. I'm shadowing them or I go alone."

Weiss can only sigh in a form of defeat. Training to become a Headmistress had prepared her for many things as well as improve on her skills. But if there was one thing she hadn't improve of, it was winning ONE argument with Blake.

There are times when she admired her stubbornness...and there were times when it goes gave her a freaking headache. She just rubs the bridge of her eyes, seeing no way out of the deal.

"Alright Blake, you win. But I decide which team you go with." Blake nods at the terms and pulls out her tablet files, starting to state her list of received possible missions.

In the middle of her report, Weiss receives a call from Velvet from her office phone. She picks up the phone after excusing herself from Blake. Whatever that call was, Blake could tell that Weiss wasn't to happy about it. She politely places the phone back and rubs her eyes before looking at Blake.

"Blake...when was the last time you heard ANYTHING from Team DARK?"

( Later in Vale )

"Guys, it's starting to get dark. There hasn't been anything out of the ordinary yet, let's just call at quits tonight and stay at a motel."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to remind you to bring you night light."

"LISTEN HERE YOU!"

On top of one of the buildings in Vale watching over one of the chosen Dust Shops, you hear Team DARK's Duran and Kira do their daily argument, while on steak out. It is late night and after much examination of the town Dust Shops, they eventually decided to steak out the "Tango Dust Main".

Alice chuckles at the little spat while watching over the shop while Ross separates them for the sixth time. After much observation for four hours and basically missing their flight back to Beacon, they were stuck in town much to Kira's dismay. All she could do is stand with her team and await whatever punishment comes in the morning back at school.

"Listen Duran, all I'm saying is that we try again another day. We've been here for hours and nothing has happen yet-"

"The reason nothing had happened yet is because it was still daylight. The moon has just raised and these attacks been stated to happen at night. We staked out early that way we're as ready here before hand that way when the attack does happen, we're already here."

...Kira couldn't disagree with him on that one, though now the important question remained. Are they prepared?

"~ Hey guys! That's something important, right?"

The two approach Alice as they look onward to the Dust Shop, noticing a group of individuals arriving in what's basically several armed vans. There had to be at least two or three van full of rough looking people. And Duran is already rough looking. Alice tries to wiggle her ears to get some focus on whatever conversation they might or could be having, not getting much of anything from them.

She knows as a Faunus that her senses are indeed higher than most, but sometimes she has a habit of overestimating herself. The team admires that about her as she is willing to push herself into being a great teammate, but sometimes it's just not necessary.

"~ They don't look like they work here."

Duran watches as they gang of individuals start taking out items and bags, it's clear to someone like him that this is a form of robbery. He eventually reaches behind him and readies his weapon for whatever comes next, "That's because they don't."

Kira observes as the gang breaks into the store in question. She's glad that they were here when it happened, but in a form of honesty she was slightly upset that she was about to use her re-furnished weapon on a bunch of gang members. But she knows now that as a huntress, she had to adjust to things like this. She braces herself as she rises to the occasion as she follows her team to deal with the Shop Raiders.


	11. Chapter 10 : The Weekend Blitz Part 2

**\- RWBY Fables Chapter 10 : The Weekend Blitz Part 2 -**

( The Tango Dust Main )

The raiders enter the Dust Shop with weapons and bags, getting started into breaking the glass and stealing the pure Dust Crystals. One of the thugs observes the others work. He stands with spiky light brown skin owning green hair with a pony tail, his yellow eyes looking out for possible trouble. He wears blue rough shirt and brown pants with black combat boots, over top of him is a jade green sleeveless trench coat. Over to the side of his right eye is a tattoo.

"Hurry up you idiots! We're on a short time frame here!"

One of the thugs looks at the green haired boy, "This would go a lot finisher if you would put in some of the work, Ray!"

Ray draws his gun and points it at the dumb thug, not happy about his outburst, "Listen here...Jimmy, the reason why I'm here is because of your little screw up called losing a time schedule. I'm here for assurance, a safe guard you would call it."

"Than they better hope you're enough."

Ray twists around, catching the view of Team DARK's Duran and Kira, however he seems to mainly eye's Duran for a bit with some interests in his standing. In Ray's eye's while Kira looked like a novice to him, Duran stood like a warrior to him. Much like himself. He turns to "Jimmy", giving him a confident look, "See Jimmy, this is why I'm here."

"Shut up...And my name is Fred!"

Ray waves his hand as he turns to face Duran and Kira, "Whatever Jimmy, just get out through the back. Well kids, it looks like this is going to be a little eventual, is it?"

Kira is the first to step forward, drawing forth her new weapon into display and points the glass orb at the gang. She's always one to display a sense of authority into matters at hand, "I care not about what gonna be eventual, but as a student huntress of New Beacon Academy I ask you and your band to seize this madness at once!"

...

Ray looks at Duran with a cocked eyed expression, "She's always like this?"

"I'm forced to work with this."

Kira stands dumbfounded in the sudden calmness in the situation as well as the accusation from her very own leader, "Hey!?"

Ray just raises his hands and takes a step towards the two idiots before him, "Okay, you two. This has already become an eventual evening. But unfortunately for you two..."

With that, Ray points his gun at the two students, "I'm afraid this is the end of the road."

He pulls the trigger and opens fire on Duran and Kira who dodges the cannon fire expertly.

Ray takes off into the store going out the back, only to catch the sight of his gang dangling in the air. As he gets closer, he catches the sight of threads, "What the heck?"

His instincts catches hold of him as he suddenly back flips away from a storm of combat daggers attached to more threads. Gaining his footings, he fires upon the threads. Though the threads didn't burn as he had hoped for some reason, the threads wiggled enough to release some of his guys. As they hit the ground, Ray catches the sound of chuckling in the distance. He fires again, catching the sight of Alice jumping from the roof top, using her threads to propel her fall.

As he takes aim for Alice, Ray notices a cracking sound on the wall next to him. As soon as he looks at the source, he is caught off guard as the goat faunus, Ross, crashes through the wall and tackles Ray through another, ending up in a school park.

Ray decks Ross in the face, causing the giant to rise off of him. Ray spins away regrouping with his gang who had arrived to the scene. Team DARK finally regroups together in front of the Dust Raiders facing them. The man known as Ray claps his hands at Team DARK's performance, with a smirk no less.

"Well well! So these are students of Beacon! I must say, I've heard countless stories about the skill levels of those taught at Beacon, but I had never believe it myself! I had thought my mom was crazy, honestly! I might actually have work this time!"

If anyone was looking, they'd know that the fact that this guy just insulted his mother didn't make Duran happy in the slightest, but something else caught his ears.

"Who told you those stories? A student of Beacon?"

( Que. Lusus Naturae )

"...Why would I ruin..."

With a smile and a press of a button on his gun, the gun in question shifted into a single chained sickle as he begins to twirl it around into a whirlwind. He then launches it at the team, "...THE SUSPENSE!?"

Team DARK dodges the sickle with Duran charging at Ray.

The rest of the goons take off after the rest of Team DARK. Kira with her formation rod fires an aura wave at the goons causing them to fly backwards.

Following suit Ross delivers a strong swing with his battle axe, sending a shockwave, knocking down several guys himself. He catches one coming from the side with his bat shifting into a double edge sword. He swings downward as the giant swats his hand to the right side a bit, causing the sword to shift in direction, missing him completely. Ross counters with an elbow to the face, causing the goon in question to tumble to the ground.

Alice on the other hand after leading the on for a bit, takes out her gauntlet claws and goes on the offensive as she fires thread at one of goons. As soon as the threads attaches themselves to his arms, Alice propels herself into a flying kick, sending the goon flying. Another one comes to Alice before she could regain herself. Alice quickly with amazing hand coronation alters with a few threads in the air. As the guy comes down, Alice jerks her hands to each side.

Suddenly in the thug's eyes, a barrier of threads emerges in thin air, blocking his attack completely. The gang just steps back as the threads disperses into the air, tangling them without them even knowing it. As Alice sighs at the sight of her work, her ears catches the sound of battle happening close by. It sounded like it was coming from the direction Duran went.

Alice leaves her targets dangling in the air as rushes to aid her friend.

In the fight with Ray and Duran, a clash of steel and gun fire is heard throughout the area. Ray is using his chain sickle to the fullest of advantages as his expertly twirls it around offensively at Duran. The red haired boy with his sword in hand cannon mode, fires at Ray as he continues to look for a way to reach him, dodging every attack he throws at him.

"What's the matter, Duran?! This too much for you?!"

He knows he's just playing word games with him, but Duran has to much combat experience to fall for it. But he could help but place along with him, "Can't say. Though you could pick up the pace a bit."

Liking his sense of humor, Ray laughs at Duran as he continues his assault, "Ha! Give me a few minutes!"

Ray suddenly launches his sickle at Duran. He dodges the sickle and takes this chance and dashes toward Ray. That was a mistake. Ray jerks the chain back and causes the sickle to jerk the same way. Duran only catches the sight of the sickle's return, knowing he is unable to dodge. All he could do is brace for impact.

But in the brief instant, a dagger appeared knocking the sickle out of trajectory of Duran's face. Ray looks at the source finding that Alice had thrown a dagger to save him. He begins to twirl his weapon once more catching Alice off guard. As the sickle homes in on Alice, Duran fires in turn, saving her.

"Alice, get back! I don't need your help!"

"But - "

The two cut off at the sight of bullet fire raining upon them. The two are covered by Kira as she steps in and summons a aura barrier blocking out the fire and they instructs them to find cover. Duran goes to object, but Alice grabs his arms and drags him away.

"Where are you going?!", Ray throws his sickle at the runners for it only to be deflected by Ross's axe.

Now Ray stands before a giant mountain goat of which he has to look up at. "Alright big guy...", Ray begins to twirl his sickle once more. He intends to get by and continue his fight with Duran, but something tells him as new challenger is gonna take some work, "...Let's dance, shall we?"

Ross stands firm next to Kira, watching the spinning sickle, not allowing himself to be fazed at this boy's idea of intimidation. Instead, he pushes in the handle bar of his axe, then splits it into dual wielding short swords and gets into battle position along with her. Ross has no intention into letting him either chase down his friends or bring harm to them. Ross drops his lazy demeanor and prepares for combat, "I'm not much of a dancer. But I'm willing to entertain you a bit."

Ray smirks at the giant, "That's right, you giant..." He than launches an assault on Ross and Kira as he dashes in a storm of green chaos, "ENTERTAIN ME!"

( Else where in the park )

They take cover behind a ground set after losing the green bandit. This leaves time for Duran to talk to Alice, "Alice, what are you doing?! I had it under control!"

Alice objects to his statement after seeing that there was no way Duran could had dodge or parried that attack, "~ Had what?! I couldn't just watch! You almost got hurt!"

"No, you almost got hurt! I don't need -"

Duran stops at the sight of Alice's ears dropping. It's usually a sign that she is upset about something or she is sadden. She glares at Duran until she get's his full attention, then asks him a serious question without her usual tone...

"Don't you trust me?"

Duran couldn't answer. All he could was stare at the hyena before him in silence as he tries to find an answer, but out of his train of thought, Professor Belladonna words rings in his head once more...

"You're part of a team now. It's okay to rely on them."

Duran is brought out of train of thought as scroll started to go off, indicating that Kira's aura had hit orange. He tries to think of a solution into dealing with Ray's chain sickle.

But he is brought back to Alice as she asks him again, but this she rephrases the question.

"I trust you. We trust you. But do you trust us?"

He looks at her as he ponders that question as he looks back a bit. This whole time he had been able to tackle every problem that had came at him with full force, alone at that. But now, he is not just part of a team, he is leading a team. But it's not if he can trust them that's the problem. It's that if he is strong enough to protect that trust. Strong enough to protect them.

But if they can trust him, maybe he can trust himself.

Duran grabs Alice's shoulder and nods, "I trust you."

As Alice's ears wiggle with excitement into her partner's answer, until their scrolls go off again. Duran thinks of a possible way to stop his sickle assault. He then catches an idea. He looks at Alice, asking her an old question.

"How much thread you got?"

As an answer, Alice gives out a devilish grin.

( Sometime later )

After sometime, following Duran's instructions Kira and Ross to lead Ray into an alley. Ray approaches the alley in question slowly, "~ Okay kids, hide and seek is not one of my favorite games to play."

He is answered at the sound of a snapping thread, "What the - "

He had stepped on one of Alice's thread traps. As result, he is rained on from every direction from daggers, of which he expertly deflects them all with his sickle chain. It was the end of it, he caught the sight of a Duran in the middle with him.

"Well, game time is it?"

Duran shakes his head and looks at Ray, "No. It's the end game."

Ray begins to twirl his sickle a bit as Duran begins his charge. But his chain sudden comes to a stop, he looks around and that's when he notices.

"What the hell?!", He is surrounded by an endless web of threads, and his sickle chain had gotten caught in the webbings. Ray looks back at the charging Duran, using what's left of his chain to form a barrier in front of him.

However, Duran using his semblance to heat the edgings of his sword, "burns" through the chains protecting the bandit. Duran stops short upon Ray's face with his heat radiated sword. Ray looks behind him for a chance of escape, only to catch the sight of Ross carrying what's left of his gang with him as Alice stands waving at him. He looks back at Duran to see that he's not alone as now Kira stands with him.

Team DARK had caught the bandit, "It's over Ray."

"Not it isn't."

In that instant, Team DARK is rained down by a storm of bullets. As Duran goes to keep his sights on Ray in the mist of the smoke, but it's almost as if he is fading away from sight all together. Eventually, Duran loses sight of Ray. He had got away.

( In Front of the Park )

"You guys don't listen very well, do you?"

The team stands in front of Professor Arc who had received the report what had transpired in the area. As the authorities question the captured thieves, Jaune begins his questioning of the team in front of him. Strangely, he is met what Alice's waving.

"What's happening here?", the group looks upon Blake as she arrives at the scene, not looking happy in the slightest.

"Hey Blake. I had caught these students interfering with police business. They had a brawl with the dust robbers here in the park, destroying several town properties in the process and disobeyed the authorities."

With this, Kira had stepped in.

"With all due respect sir - "

"It was my call.", Kira is cut off at Duran's statement as the group awaits his response, "I made the decision to pursue the bandits and as the leader of this, I got them involved as well. The responsibility of what happened here is mine."

"No it's not! It was vote, remember!", Alice quickly steps in his defense with jolted ears and narrowed eyes.

Kira shakes her head at Duran's statement, "As much as I'm, amazed, at your ability to take responsibility, I'm in agreement with Alice here. It was a team decision and we all decided."

Ross just shrugs his shoulders at the three as he nods in confirmation, "Don't look at me. I just followed the flow of things."

Blake could just watch as she takes in how much this team has grown these few months, especially Duran.

According to the report, he had trusted his team into defeating the boy named Ray as well as confirming Troika's involvement. She smirks at the team and waves her hand at Jaune.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. Let's allow the Headmistress to decide your course of punishment. There's a Bull Head waiting for you all."

The team exits the scene as Jaune watches them leave, then turns to Blake with a smirk on his face. She notices his smile and smirks back at him, kind of knowing what it was about, "I can't exactly punish them for the same thing we did."

Jaune shakes his head and looks back at the gang in question, pondering a thought in his head as he brings it up with Blake, "I don't get it. What the heck would a gang of misfits want with Dust Crystals?"

Blake looks at the gang as well as she makes a point to Jaune, "Dust Crystal's last longer in a sense. And Pure one's last the longest. In the hands of regular person, if trained properly it could last a life time. But a whole gang owning one. Now the question is why."

Jaune steps forward as he makes a mental note on Blake's logic. She had always been the one to see things no one else couldn't. He just hopes it's nothing serious.

( A Dark Alley )

Ray slams his fist into a table in agitation of his defeat. The raid was a burst and he had lost good people during the fight with Team DARK. He is approach by the girl with purple hair, "What the hell was that back there?! Aside from the beat down the boss had to bail you out of!"

Ray looks back at her raising a finger in the process, "Don't you start with me Jess! I'm in no mood for this!"

"And I'm in no mood for any of you!", the two looks at the source. A woman now stands before them in the shadows, but you can catch her narrowed red eyes indicating that she was upset with what had transpired, as she crosses her arms at them.

She turns to Jess shouting with a harsh tone, "Jess, I thought I told you to stay on schedule and to not make any changes with consulting with me first!"

As Jess steps backwards away from the woman in question, Ray chuckles at her failures. But he is brought into attention as the woman snaps at him.

"And you! I thought I made it clear to stay away from Beacon students! We have enough on our plates without having so much as one of them on us!"

"Hey, they came at me first! What was I supposed to do?!"

Jess turns to the woman in front of them, "What do we do Lady Emerald?"

Emerald stands out of the shadows exposing her robotic right arm going up to her shoulder. She solely remembers the battles she had in the past, especially with students from Beacon, ESPECIALLY with Team RWBY. She twists back the two before her and states the original plan.

Stating words she is all to familiar with, "I'll talk to our employer into adjusting the plans due to SUDDEN events. Often then, we stay on course. We stick to the plan down to EVERY letter and we work out every problem we run into. Everything will come together eventually."

Ray is getting tired of hearing this over and over, deciding to bring it up, "And how will that happen?! You got us following orders from someone who WE don't even know!"

Emerald grabs Ray by his collar and throws him to the ground, "But push your luck boy. Trust me when I say that this benefiter has great plans for us. In the end, it will be worth it.

( New Beacon Academy Dean Office )

Weiss is going up the elevator to her office, just got off the phone with Blake after being informed about what just happen at the park area. She rubs the bridge of her eyes a bit in a annoyed manner. Or was it remembrance? She couldn't help but feel like she had just witnessed a live memory of her team's actions from back then. The bravery Team DARK just showed out there showed her that the heart of Beacon Academy still resides here in these walls.

But that doesn't mean they're off the hook!

The elevator doors open to her office, but she takes one step inside. A certain smell catches her attention...a familiar smell. It's smelt like..."Rose cherries?"

Weiss slowly walks through her office to her desk, to catch the sound of the elevator locking behind her. She places down her bag and draws her Silver Myrtenaster. She comes across a corner, catching a sight that almost made her heart stop.

A maiden stands at her window past her desk with her back towards her...bathed in a red cape.

"Ruby?"

The maiden turns to the Headmistress, allowing her silver eyes to come out of the black hair to lock with Weiss's teary ones. The woman smiles at her for a bit, then says a long time greeting.

"Hi Weiss..."

Weiss drops her Silver Myrtenaster and processes to Ruby, a friend she hadn't seen in years. So many things she had wanted to say at that moment.

However, Ruby's hand comes out of her cloak, indicating that she was here on business, "I know that you want to fuss at me a bit. But this is important and it can't wait."

Weiss sits on a chair in front of her dear friend, making complete eye contact. To Weiss this was a bit out of character for Ruby, she'd normally be tackled into a hug by now and flailing to escape.

But the seriousness in Ruby's eyes, the only time she saw those was when her friends or family were in trouble, battles had gotten tense, or someone had taken a cookie out of her cookie jar.

This was clearly one of those tense moments.

"Weiss..." Weiss blinks at Ruby, showing that she had her attention. It was then Ruby stated terrible news. News that even Ruby herself jerked at that news, and she learned it.

"He's coming back for us Weiss..."

Weiss cocks an eye brow at Ruby. Who could be causing so much trouble that Ruby had come back like this after so many years of silence. After so many years of observing the world and protecting it's greatest secrets alone, what dark forces has emerged that caused Ruby to come back?"

What are you saying? Who's coming for us?"

Ruby then takes a deep breathe, stating a name they're all to familiar with...

"Merlot. I'm sorry Weiss, but I believe he has found something he shouldn't have. And is coming to finish what he started..."


	12. Chapter 11 : The Great Day?

**\- RWBY Fables Chapter 11 : The Great Day -**

( The Dean's Office )

In the Dean's Office of the fabled Beacon Academy, the Headmistress Weiss Schnee sits at her desk with her trusted Blake Belladonna to her side. She sits on edge with her friends Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie and Ren Valkyrie in front of her dumbfounded with the story they had just heard. But that's not the only thing the leaves her on edge. With the information she heard received from Ruby herself a month ago, she is not sure into what to expect.

The Merlot Industries.

To them, that shouldn't be possible, Team RWBY as well as JNPR themselves made sure that they were destroyed completely. But if what Ruby said was true that they were slowly returning and have gotten hold of something truly terrible. With Blake's counsel and after much discussion, Weiss came to realize that her numbers in terms of force was too short.

She decided to once again to break her promise. She told them to truth.

Weiss sits ready as Jaune is the first to step forward after hear the truth about Ruby's disappearance all those years ago. He struggles to keep himself emotional composed as he cannot believe Weiss has held this secret from them for so long.

"You mean to tell me...us, this whole time YOU knew where Ruby was to this day...and you DIDN'T tell ANY OF US?!"

Weiss winces at Jaune's restrained fury. He had the right to be upset with her, they all did. Just as the night Blake was upset. He loved Ruby, hell they all did. Ruby was the person to bring them all together, especially during their hardest of times. Ruby was basically their world. To them, what right did Weiss have to keep this from them for so long. Weiss looks at the man before her with regretful eyes like a child ready to face the consequences of their actions. She wasn't going to make excuses, not now.

"Yes, I did. But Jaune you must understand..."

"Understand what?! What right did you have to keep this from us?! From Yang?!"

A hand appears on Jaune's shoulder. He looks back to meet the eyes of Ren Valkyrie, Nora's husband of course. Ren shakes his head at Jaune's anger, though he had the right to be angry, Ren understood that Ruby had made Weiss promise not to tell anyone, aside from Blake.

"I'm upset about all of this as much as you are, but I'm sure they had their reasons. And the fact that she is now telling us all this proves that something is happening that reins higher than that both of them."

Jaune manages to calm down a bit, Ren has always had then ability to calm the anger of others. Nora steps forward as she tries to grasp the situation at hand, "So I'm gonna recap all this to see if I got it all. So somewhere out there are "properly" survivors of the Merlot Industries who are making a big time come back. And they managed to get a hold of something of which even they haven't mastered yet?"

Ren nods his head at Nora's question confirming that she got it all down, but one thing pondered his mind, "But where did they find the kind of power to cause Ruby to come warn us?"

Weiss calls everyone to attention as she begins to speak. She's not sure if they have forgiven her yet, but whatever is happening can't wait, "Ruby's trying to figure that out. She'll be in touch with me from time to time, once I know - you'll know."

Jaune shakes his head at it all, at everything he just heard, "I still can't believe you would keep this from us..."

"Jaune.", The blonde haired knight looks at the Headmistress's eyes.

"I swear I wanted to tell you. All of you for that matter. But Ruby...I couldn't betray her trust, I couldn't being myself to betray the promise we made together. Telling Blake nearly caused me two things that are important to me. I won't sit here and make excuses, all I can say is that I'm sorry."

Jaune looked Weiss as she spoke the truth once more. In truth he realized that he was wrongfully angry at the person before him. He knows now that Weiss truly feels guilty about at telling Jaune of all people this. But this was something Ruby truly trusted her with. However, as Headmistress of New Beacon Academy and protector of the City of Vale, Weiss has brought it upon herself to break this oath to protect her people. To protect her friends. And most of all, her students.

Jaune nods his head at Weiss in understanding, whatever is coming for them not only endangers them, but perhaps the world once more. And they must be ready for anything, "Do we tell Yang?"

Weiss shoots her hand out in mild panic. She's been keeping this secret from everyone. If Jaune acted the way he did, she'd hate to know how Yang would react, "No, not yet least."

"You can't be serious! If anyone has the right to know, it has to be Yang! It's her sister Weiss!"

Blake steps forward a bit. She understands where Jaune is going with this, but Yang has been out of contact for years now and the last talk she had with Weiss was during Ruby's 'disappearance' and that erupted into a brawl. They were lucky enough that Ms. Goodwitch and Qrow was there to stop the confrontation when it happened.

If they have to tell Yang...it has to be a time of calming moment and a place where at least a steel wall stood between them.

"You're right, but I'm sorry Jaune. Now is not the time to tell Yang, and even if we wanted to, we don't have a single clue into where to start looking for her."

( _**BOOM!**_ )

The entire office suddenly shakes as if a earthquake came through, knocking almost everyone off their feet.

Weiss stumbles in her chair as she regathers herself, looking around the office for damages, "Is everyone alright?!"

Ren looks around for possible clues into the matter, "Are we under attack already?!"

"I supposed that's a clue?!"

"NORA!"

"What's that?!"

Everyone looks Jaune's direction, noticing what looks like a firing cannon ball fly into the sky as it comes down into the field. That was when the teachers realized a group of students running from that direction.

Blake observes the scene a bit with her eyes narrowed, ready for whatever is happening, "What's going on, where are they running from?!"

That was when a another fiery ball flies up. As they determined where it came from, it looked liked it flew...from the gym?

Blake twitches her ears a bit before asking the question, "Is all this coming from the gym area?"

As the group sits by to ponder this thought, Weiss remembers that Nora was supposed to be teaching that class. And if Nora was here...

"Nora?"

"Yes?"

"If you're here, who's looking after your class?"

As Weiss asks this question, Blake realizes a important factor and ask her question to get a bit of confirmation, "Who's in you class?"

At that point as a shining yellow ball of death flies out of the gym, Nora realizes her mistake. She rubs the back of her head gives out a guilty laugh.

"While...I kind of asked Velvet to look after the freshmen class a bit till I got back."

"WHAT!?"

( The Gym Area )

War.

That was the only thing Weiss saw the moment they arrived at the training area.

The once normal looking gym was modified into a suburban town that had been destroyed into a fiery war zone of burning buildings and ruined streets. And who actually was the cause of this chaos.

 _ **"THAT WAS MY TAIL YOU BASTARD!"**_

A roar of an angry lion could be heard through the flames of destruction, the leader of Team ZBRA, Zera Leafhead stands with what appears to by glowing orbs in each hand, ready to throw.

 _ **"YOU STARTED THIS WAR, YOU PRIDE ROCK ASS WIPE!"**_

On the other side of the war zone, the Team DARK leader, Duran Raglan, stands surprisingly motivated into the matter at hand, but wonders if it's off of rage and enjoyment into the battle. It's hard to tell because he is holding two fiery balls of destruction.

In that instant Duran throws one of the burning ball at the lion, the question in question dodges the burning assault and throws her own. Shockingly as Duran dodges it, the ball continues upon it hits a nearby building, destroying it top corner side. At that instance, Duran raises his other ball and shouts, summoning his army.

"ALICE! NOW!"

"~ FOR GLORY!"

At moment out of no where an army, or basically a gang of four Alice's, rush out of the burning inferno with other glowing orbs, charging at the lion.

Weiss just stands watching this so called war unfolds, wondering what lead to this point, "Velvet, what the hell happened? Nora was away for only twenty to thirty minutes! An hour max!"

Velvet drops her ears as she messes with her hands a bit before fully allowing herself to tell the story of the starting of the war.

Apparently Zera of Team ZBRA had gotten ahold of the untested new gym equipment known as "Infusion Aura Spheres". Channeling her aura into the sphere caused the sphere to glow of course, however Zera decided to have thrown the aura infused ball at Duran's face for some laughs.

As s result, Duran had retaliated by grabbing a ball himself and infusing it with his aura, however since his aura was basically fire based, the Infusion Ball he had caught fire. Despite knowing this, Duran still threw the burning ball at Zera...hitting her poor tail.

The war got worst as one of students brought it upon themselves to change the landscape of the gym arena into the suburban city zone which is now being destroyed by a fiery bandit, a raging lion, an army of hyenas and...a ducking lancer using a Stop Sign as a cover shield?

 _ **"DON'T YOU PUSS OUT ON ME ALEX!"**_

"I don't even wanna be in this! AH!"

Weiss stands dumbfounded watching the chaos unfold further as Blake chuckles at the scene with the gym instructor Nora just dying of laughter of her class's spirit. Blake recomposes herself a bit as she points out to the two teams, "~ Well, that's a new use of Atlas fundings."

Not hearing a word from Jaune of whom was sent into the arena to stop this senseless destruction, Weiss unsheathes her Silver Myrtenaster and one of her many daggers and angrily takes off into the gym while summoning three knights on the way. Leaving Blake to standby praying for her poor students who are about to witness unparalleled fury.

 _ **"~ Ice Queen's on the floor! Bail! Bail!"**_

Too late...

( Sometime Later )

"So let's see if I got all this right, because I must of went deaf somewhere in this story. You all not only use untested, unauthorized equipment, but you brought it upon yourselves to somehow manage to change the landscape of the arena... **FOR A DODGEBALL GAME!?** "

The trouble children stand before the wrath of the Headmistress wincing at the DARK and ZBRA stand together smothering with the smell of ash and smoke and all they could do watch in horror. Alice slowly points Zera's direction, but is brought back into attention as she dropped her ears again after receiving a piercing glare from Weiss. The Headmistress continues to march back and forth in front of the guilty party, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"You all are supposed to by the defenders of the world, you know that right?"

As everyone else stands in attention, Alice is the only one who speaks out with a grin on her face, "~ Yes Ma'am!"

A street light falls over at that instant crashing into a nearby car projection, Weiss looks at the damage and eyes the hyena before her, "You sure about that?"

Alice drops her head as she knows they're in trouble. Weiss watches as she sighs at the sight, this definitely takes her back a bit. Her days with Team RWBY had always been out of the ordinary to put it lightly, they too got into their fair share of troubles.

But that doesn't mean that they can't be punished!

"You all will attend detention in Professor Port's Classroom. While you're there, you will write a two page essay about the Faunus Revolutionary War."

Alice was about to cling onto Weiss's leg and beg her for forgiveness, but Duran had grabbed hold of her shirt ahead of time before she could leap. They escorted out of the arena with their respective teams.

"That's new."

Weiss turns to her black cat friend who walked by after witnessing her light punishment, "What's new?"

Blake smiles at Weiss's attempt to feint ignorance, she knows that punishment was little to light, especially coming from the Headmistress herself, "I thought you'd give them kitchen detail for the rest of the month."

"Oh trust me, I was tempted to."

"What stopped you?"

Weiss turns to watch her laughing students. If what Ruby said was indeed true, then they have to be prepared for the worst of things. At the very least, Weiss could allow them to have a few days of fun memories, just as Ozpin did them. Even if she is not as lenient as he was.

"They won't be like that forever Blake."

Blake feels the weight the white princess now carries on her shoulders. She walks by and places a hand on her shoulder, giving off the feeling that she is not only in whatever is coming. Not by a long shot.

"Any word from your source yet?"

Blake sadly shakes her head, "He only calls when it's something big enough to bother me."

Weiss looks at her friend with eyes of worry. With all that's happening as of late, she didn't have time for the boy to be playing super spy, "I need him Blake. With all the happening, I don't need him messing around."

Blake rubs the shoulder of the White Maiden, trying to provide a sense of comfort.

"I know. I'll call him tonight."

( Elsewhere )

Two individuals walk down the alley of a unknown street, coming to what basically a play ground for gang members. They walk through the bodies of the renowned street gang known as the Troika. Ray and Jess approach the room of Emerald Sustrai, while she slammed the phone down in a fit of fury.

Her red eyes gaze at her two lieutenants as they were instructed the show, "Bout time you showed. Where were you two?"

Ray just waves his hand in the air, he's been in a foul mood lately, "Checking the rounds. Keeping things in order. Taking orders." "Ray!"

Jess slaps his chest for his rudeness towards Emerald. Though justified into the courses of actions as of late deeming his lost to Team DARK, it was due to his inability to follow directions. But she can't help but feel the same for these directions are being given to them by an unknown source lately.

However, she is loyal to Emerald.

"I don't care about him really. All that matters is if everything is falling in line or not."

Ray shrugs off as Jess nods her head, "Yes ma'am, things are running a bit more smoothly now. Aside from The Order's sudden movements and Beacon's interventions. And who's fault was that again?"

The Green Haired Bandit gives Jess the bird as Emerald calls them in order, "Stop! I don't need this right now! Ray what is your side of the report."

"Due to my past run in with the Beacon students, the Vale police force has increased the amount of security of the Dust Shops. They're harder to hit now then they were before and they're swiping everyone Troika affiliated. But Dust prices are increasing and we managed to get enough Pure Dust Crystals for almost everyone left."

Emerald groans at the news. She should have known that Ray's run-in with that so called "Team DARK" was bound to cause problems, but she didn't expect so many set backs would happen at once. But everything seemed to be happening in place, so all she had to do was wait for the next call of objective. At the same time, she needed to give this idiots something to do to make sure they didn't cause problems.

As she pondered the thought, the door behind them opened with a sudden figure walking through. Jess quickly recognized the rat eared individual.

"Ratchet? Where are you doing here?"

"Message for the lady. Written. Not called. Big importance. Big."

The rat handed Emerald a letter written for her, opening the letter Emerald eyes a symbol no one has seen in years to the point it was almost forgotten.

"Great. That's just perfect."

Jess steps forward worried due to Emerald sudden change in behavior, "What is it?"

Emerald looks at her two lieutenants as she sits the letter on the table and thrusts a knife through it. Whoever this employer is, he or she is starting to get on her nerves.

"It's basically a letter saying, get ready for phase two."

( Cliff of Forever Fall )

On the edge of Forever Fall, one could see the City of Vale as well as New Beacon Academy at the distance. A braking motorcycle stops close to the view point. With the kick stand being put into place, a woman with gold hair walks to the view point and eyes Beacon Academy.

She takes off her glasses with her mechanical hand and looks at her appointed destination with eyes of angry determination. She believes that she has figured out that one person does indeed know the where about's of who she is looking for.

And she fully intents into marching into Beacon and demanding answers.

"Over twelve years I've been searching..."

Her eyes turn red with righteous fury. Her prey stands right before her. "...And this time, you telling me something or I'm taking everything."


	13. Special Chapter : Prelude of the Return

**\- RWBY Fables : Prelude of the Return -**

( Months Earlier )

In a small village within the walls of the Four Kingdoms, a red cloaked maiden stands before the Village Chief after completing a request. The usual, Grimm Extermination. She accepts the payment of the chief after dispatching the incoming horde.

"Thank you miss. Once we had heard of the Grimm's incoming, I had thought we had to evacuate. I had hoped that it wouldn't had come to that."

The maiden raised her hands out the her cloak, waving at the graceful chief, trying to relief him of a distress. Her warm smile breaks through the hood on her, "Hey, it's okay. I was just doing my job. And this is a nice village! I'd hate to see it destroyed and everything."

The chief bows his head at the woman's kindness. Ever since the series of events that happened in the past, some to most of the huntsmen outside the kingdoms had cared less about the "little people". But this one before him, this maiden in red heeded the cries of the village and granted their wish of safeguard, not asking much of anything in returned at that.

"While on behalf of the village, I thank you none the less. I just wish we knew you name."

The red maiden removed her hood, showing her black hair and silver eyes that goes well with her smile. She places a hand on his shoulder and nods her head in slight regret.

Ruby makes full eye contact with the man before her and takes her leave. After receiving her payment, Ruby pack and leaves the village making a final check of it's safety.

It has been over ten years since she embarked on this journey of hers. After learning all the things she's learned in the past, all the things she witnessed and seen, she knew that with them in the wrong hands, chaos could return in the world. With that in mind, Ruby had decided to take the Four Relics and hide them away from the sights of both Man and Grimm alike.

She was indeed successful into hiding away the relics. However, a piece had to be paid.

Ruby had to leave everyone behind...

Yang, Blake, Jaune, Nora and Ren. Weiss...

Sadly Ruby brought it upon herself to leave those she loved behind to safeguard those secrets and knowledge herself, away from those who could and would abuse this knowledge for self-gain or upright destruction.

She didn't want to leave everyone. There were so many times she wished she could have stayed with them. But she couldn't think of any other way this could have worked.

Though it hasn't been all bad. On her journey, Ruby has continued her work as a traveling huntress from time to time. Forever on the move, just in small villages while staying away from the cities.

She has heard that Weiss had left the Schnee Dust Corporation to become not only a teacher of New Beacon Academy, but also the new Headmistress of the Academy itself. She also heard that Blake acts as her assistant, and most of her friends are teachers. It's good to hear that they're all doing well.

But at the same time, on her travels she has heard Yang had left not only Team RWBY, but everyone to find her. How she wished Yang had stayed with them.

As she transverses through the path of the unknown, these are the only thoughts that keep her going.

After some times wandering the dirt road, she comes across a sight of rising smoke for in the distance. Not wasting anytime, Ruby double times to the distress signal. After sometime of running, Ruby makes it to the distress signal, which happens to be in a some abandoned village. Ruby wanders the village for a time, using her heighten sensing abilities to try and locate some form of life.

After looking around town for a time, she couldn't shake off the feeling that this is starting to feel like a setup and proceeds to leave. That was before she was rained on by a storm of bullets. However, with her semblance of super speed along with the amount of fighting experience she had received on her journeys, evading them proved no problem as she vanished in a storm of rose petals. She eventually gained enough distance for the bullets to stop all together.

The smoke starts to dissolve after a while as Ruby eyes the handy work. She is eventually brought into attention as a two figures emerges from the dust. He is wearing a gray sleeveless hoodie and black jeans with plain shoes. His purple eyes which pops through his black spiky hair speaks of ill intentions.

However one of the figures catches her eye; standing with gray hair and gray eyes, his entire being brings back memories of which she didn't want to remember.

"Mercury..."

The smirk on his face appears on his face as he rubs his nose, seeming ready for a challenge of some sort, "Well well Red. It's been a while, hasn't it? "

The black haired boy eyes Ruby for a bit until deciding to speak, his tone is cruel as if his very soul was cold as ice, "So this is the fabled Ruby Rose you spoke of? Hate to say it, but I'm a bit disappointed..."

Ruby narrows her eyes, not once forgetting what he and Emerald had done in the past.

They tricked them.

They manipulated them.

They stole people from them.

Ruby grips her Crescent Rose, not knowing his or the other boy's purpose here let alone how they found her. But he presence before her carries ill omens, "What do you want?"

Mercury places his hand on his chest playing the part of a hurt child, "Ow. That hurts you know. I had thought that I could at least catch up with you. You know, finding you wasn't easy for my employer to say the least."

This has indeed caused curiosity in Ruby.

 _Looking for me?_

 _Employer?_

Ruby looks at the other boy not getting anything out of Mercury, "I will ask you then. What do you want?"

Much to say, the boy just smirks and bows to the Red Maiden before him, exposing some tattoos on his right arm, "While Ms. Rose, to begin with my name is Isaac. To answer your question however, much to say to give it to you quick..."

With that Mercury kicks forward firing three rounds at Ruby, causing a screen of smoke to emerge from impact. He smiles at his steaming work with a confident grin on his face, "...We're just on business."

"Are you?"

His confidence hits a rock drop as he suddenly feels Crescent Rose pushes itself against his neck. He looks back at Ruby's narrowed silver eyes as he should have known better than to believe that he could actually hit her. Back then, he had Emerald's hallucination semblance to give him some form of edge, but since they went their separate ways to say the least, he didn't have that advantage anymore. Not like he needed it in most of his fights.

But it would have been nice to have it now.

Isaac however didn't seem that well fazed into seeing the Famous Ruby Rose in some form of action for the first time. He just whistles in amazement, "Not bad..."

This causes Ruby to give her tone a bit more seriousness as she asks them a different question, "Who sent you two here?"

Mercury just puts his hands up as his shrugs his shoulders upward as he smirks at her question of which he just answered not to long ago. He flips his hand up and a remote shots out of his sleeve, he presses a button and the crate opens.

The boy Isaac, if Ruby could explain it in full, just swings his hand outward to her with a grin on his face. Out of no where, Ruby feels an impact of kinetic energy force her back away from Mercury.

Out of the crate comes a Beowolf Grimm. But instead of the usual red linings, it came with green linings and green eyes. This causes Ruby to step away as the Grimm steps forward into a full charge.

Ruby fires two shots of her Crescent Rose to gain a form of distance from the Beowolf, landing on a roof. Ruby observes the Grimm for a bit, it was clearly modified in her eyes and could think of only one person who had the technology necessary for the job.

 _Professor Merlot? Of the Merlot Industries? But how is that possible? We destroyed Merlot Industries with JNPR for good in the past. We made sure of it._

"Cinder's out of the picture, so you work for them now? That's a new low for someone."

Mercury just smirks at Ruby's statement. She's always been good at figuring things out.

"What can I say? The benefits are nice."

Ruby changes the clip on her sniper rifle as she narrowed her eyes. She learned that Mercury was a cruel man who was capable of terrible things, but to work for a man like Merlot. Knowing that words were pointless at this point, she cocks her gun and aims for her opponents.

The Beowolf launches an attack on Ruby. The red maiden fires upon the modified Grimm as she leaps from roof to roof. Eventually, Beowolf catches up and stands in Ruby's path, claws drawn and teeth ready.

Looks like someone's been improving their toys.

Ruby twirls her scythe with excellent speed as she charges upon the Beowolf delivering a crimson storm of slashes. As usual, the modified Grimm's skin is tough, but Ruby's been improving her fighting tactics.

As the Beowolf swings downward, the maiden places her scythe behind it's knees and fires, tossing it into the air. Ruby then leaps into the air and cuts down the Grimm in question, slicing it in half.

Mercury watches as the Grimm lands right in front of him as Isaac claps his hands in appalls. Isaac just steps to the side as he eyes the Maiden before him, then suddenly he lifts a finger getting her attention, "Oh wait. You asked what we was here for, right? To answer your question Ms. Rose, the old man sent us to observe a field test."

This causes Ruby to raise an eye brow as she sudden sees the black haired boy takes out what appears to be a container. He opens the lid and what happens after astounds her.

A red fog like mist flies out of the container the boy had opened, it seemed alive as it flew back and forth until it engulfs the fallen Grimm before her. The black fur of the Grimm turns white and the green linings turn red as it starts to expand. If that didn't shock her, the Beowolf suddenly started to regenerate. The Grimm's eyes suddenly flash open as it stands back up and let out a mighty roar, cracking the stone walls in the abandon village.

The Grimm then charges at Ruby, delivering a powerful sideward swing. Ruby indeed dodged the assault, but the force of impact was enough to throw her footing off a bit. She delivers a storm of slashes upon it skin which causes the abnormal Grimm to indeed backed away. But as it stood before her, Ruby could just watch as it's wounds started to heal before her.

The Enhanced Grimm then charged at the Red Maiden delivering several powerful swings of which Ruby had trouble deflecting. The final swipe to Ruby's side causes her to side down the street a great distance.

Ruby gets back up feeling slight pain to her side as she notices the Beowolf isn't charging as it normally would.

Could whatever this is also be enhancing their intelligence levels?"

If that's the case, then this could drag on forever if she didn't think of anything. It looks like she had no choice.

Ruby mediates and calls upon her Silver Eyes. The Light she called forth expanded and covered her scythe. Ruby then goes to war with the Grimm not wanting this to drag out any further. Ruby delivers five slashes on the enhanced Beowolf, of which after a short while heals from. But due to the usage of the Silver Eyes, it looked like it had trouble with it regeneration abilities.

Getting an idea and using her Semblance, Ruby storms the entire village, creating a blizzard of rose petals to get out of the Grimm's sight. Mercury has trouble keeping an eye on the battle at hand for a time until Isaac using his kinetic abilities creates a force field to protect them from the hail storm of rose petals.

Lost to abnormal Grimm, Ruby as if a gust of crimson wind, unleashes an mighty roar and with full force rains fury on the Grimm, cutting it into numerous pieces.

Ruby comes to a stop eventually and eyes her work. Before she could even breathe, it was as if the Beowolf was starting to get back up. But, as the Beowolf drops back down, whatever that fog was emerged from the fallen Grimm, leaving it's corpse to dissolve into ooze. As Ruby eyes this abnormal mist, as suddenly a normal horse steps into the picture.

Not even Mercury could have guess or known what had happened.

The Mist in question takes over the panicked horse as the same thing happened to it as it did the Grimm. Mercury didn't know what had happened, but he feints ignorance.

"Well would you look at that. Thought it was over didn't you! Looks like you're in for a long night Red!"

Isaac tilts his head over to Mercury in that sense, _"You knew that would happen?"_

Mercury covers the morons mouth, _"No, but she doesn't need to know that!"_

Least to say, Ruby was shocked at these chain of events. The Horse in question sets it's sights on Ruby. It could not only enhance the strength of the Grimm, but it could also transform living being into Grimm it seems.

"What is this?! You two clearly have no idea what you're playing with?!"

As an answer, Mercury just grins as he did back then at Beacon. Isaac on the other hand waves goodbye.

She had to defeat whatever this thing is. But she hate to admit it, but using the Silver Eyes drains her a bit, and she hasn't used it in a while. As she stands form, ready to use what strength she had to take on the monstrosity.

Before she knew it, a white light forms from under Ruby's feet, blinding her and foes. The light eventually dims out allowing the two the chance to look for Ruby, fully realizing that she is gone completely. Mercury curses under his breath as he takes out his scroll, dialing a number, "Hey old man! Where'd she go?!"

 **Where she went is of no concern to me! How did the project operate?**

Mercury eyes the horse as he gives his report as well as his sudden findings. The man on the scroll laughs at the findings.

 **Is that so? Well then, return to HQ with the mutated horse, if you can.**

"But what about Red?! She's not just gonna standby and watch all this unfold, believe me."

 **Do you think I care about some wandering huntress with a record on her?! And besides, after what she witnessed, she'd be a fool to intervene! Now get that horse and return to HQ! NOW!**

Mercury slams his scroll shut as he looks back at the area where Ruby just was. He curses under his breathe knowing for a fact that he'll be seeing her again, not that his partner cares a bit as he shrugs his shoulders. The gray haired mercenary gathers himself and the horse and proceeds to the appointed destination, Isaac following suit behind him.

( Elsewhere )

Ruby lands on what feels like hard stone. Her vision returns to her as she feels a hand grab her shoulders.

"Ruby! Ruby! You alright?!"

As she opens her eyes, meeting the one's belonging to a good friend. His skin is tan with black hair, his green eyes lock in on her own as the smell of pine wood catches her nose's attention, "Haha, hi Oscar."

"Hi nothing! Look at you, you're a wreck! What happened?!"

Ruby just gives a reassuring smile as she stands back up on her feet, waving her hand at him.

After some time, over a cup of coffee and tea for Ruby, Oscar has just heard what transpired. Much to say, even he is amazed.

"So, whatever this is not only enhances the strength of the Grimm, but it also takes over Non-Grimm living beings?!"

The red maiden just nods her head confirming what he just said was true.

"Yeah that's pretty much just it. Something tells me though that even Mercury didn't know. Which just means that whoever this is, they're playing with something that is clearly beyond their understanding."

As Oscar ponders the thought, he is brought out of his train as Ruby rises from her chair and proceeds out the door. The boy of pine reaches out to understand where she is going, "Hey! What are you doing!? You're in no position to go anywhere in your state!"

Ruby looks back at him, determination fires from her silver eyes as she knows that she can't do this alone. Neither can she take on whatever this is without knowing what it is. However, there is one thing she has to do.

"I'm not sure going on, but it flows with ill omens. I can't take on whatever this is on my own, let alone take on whatever it is without understand what it is period. But there is one thing I can do..."

The Red Maiden gathers her Crescent Rose and makes her way to the door, needing to prepare herself for the trials that are ahead. She hasn't failed into defending this world yet. But she has to warn them of the upcoming threat...

"I'm going to New Beacon Academy. Once I inform Weiss of what has happened, I'll come back, we need to figure out what their playing with before it's too late."


	14. Chapter 12 : The Field Trip

**\- RWBY Fables Chapter 12 : The Field Trip -  
**

( A Month Later / New Beacon Academy's Dean's Office )

"This is all the available missions?"

"Yeah, most of them are the usual Grimm extermination, community service, and a few escort missions."

Weiss flips through the files Blake had given to her, looking into the available missions the Kingdom of Vale had provided for her academy. That's the easy part. The hard part was sorting these missions out into which grade class was able to perform said missions.

Going through the files, one mission caught her attention.

It was the mission involving escorting the mechanic to the radio tower outside the kingdom, "It looks like they finally got that replacement server."

Blake crossed her arms and sighs in annoyance, what took them this long to deliver the server. Or maybe it was the mechanic that was the problem. One could say it was Weiss's idea to strengthen the power of the CCT's with the use of the old radio towers outside the kingdoms and it indeed worked. But finding a mechanic crazy enough to go out into Grimm Territory to fix a tower was gonna be a problem.

Come to think of it, as Blake ponders this thought, this was the first time one of the radio towers went off line. And it can't just because the Troika gang was there.

Blake could feel that something was missing here.

What were they doing there to begin with?

Blake makes it a point to remind Weiss of their deal, "Guess I'll have my hands full with the students and the mechanic."

Weiss groans and falls back into her chair. With both the mechanic, sever and Blake in place, now she had to decide a willingly ready team to partake in the mission. Speaking of mechanic, she just remembered that the mechanic asked to see them along with, upon request, two teams that will be ensuring his protection.

"Well Blake. Let's go entertain our mechanic."

Blake crosses her arms in front of Weiss, apparently she had chosen her two teams before hand utilizing grade and performance levels as well as levels of individual growth. But to think she had chosen those two...

"You really think their ready for this kind of mission?"

The Headmistress smirks at the cat before her. Of course Blake would feel unsure about one of these two teams, but after their latest performance, one would be stupid not to trust them with this crazy task.

"Were we ready when Ruby sent us on those crazy adventures?"

Blake facepalms herself as Weiss avoided the topic all together.

"I'll just see you in the amphitheater."

"See you love."

"Weiss!"

( The Amphitheater )

The two professors approach the training area meeting Professor Coco Adel who seems to be "torturing" the mechanic.

Blake notices Coco at the distance and turns to Weiss, "What's she doing here?"

Coco faces Blake and Weiss wearing her trademark glasses and hat. Along with her glasses and hat, she keeps her fashion sense as she wears making outfits which includes a caramel brown combat vest over top a black with orange lining design long sleeve shirt. She is wearing black skinny jeans with orange lining going down the side towards her black high heel boots.

Coco is wearing design attachments in memory of her fallen teammates, which includes a shoulder pat similar to Yatsuhashi's, and the orange on her clothes reminds her of Fox. Friends she misses as dearly as Velvet.

Coco brings her glasses to the bridge of her nose as she eyes Blake in a teasing fashion, the battles she had been in didn't damage her personality in the slightest.

"Good morning to you too, Grumpy Cat. Did Weiss not feed you your daily dose of loving this morning?"

With that Blake turns to Weiss with pink shadings on her face, pointing towards the snickering Fashion Queen in front of them, "WHY - Is She HERE?!"

Weiss now on the defensive as she raises her hands up. She may have forgotten to inform Blake of the sudden change she had to make.

"I'm sorry Blake. Since we're sending two teams instead of one, I had to send another shadow and Coco and Jaune were the main ones available. I just went with Coco because you had a habit of pointing out Jaune's...mishaps."

"What about...I don't know? Ren?"

Coco adjusts her glasses at Blake's statement, "Come on kitty. You're hurting my feelings."

Weiss shakes off the foamingly teased cat and steps towards the mechanic, "Hello Mr. Thomson, we thank you for flying from Atlas for us."

"Pleasure Professor Schnee. I wish I could share the same attitude, but I want to know the huntsmen that'll be ensuring my protection to the radio tower. I don't want just anyone."

"Of course."

Weiss looks around the area, looking for the so called students of which Jaune was supposed to bring here. But so far, there's no Jaune or students. The Headmistress as she takes out her tablet in search for Jaune, as it turns out, he's in Emerald Forest.

"Dammit Jaune!"

Blake could suddenly taste the sudden agitation from the Headmistress, this could only mean that Jaune is screwing up again. She suddenly feels thankful that she's going with Coco, "Where are the students, Weiss?"

"Jaune has them in the Emerald Forest with him."

Coco leans on the wall chuckling at the sudden knowledge Weiss had stated, "He must be putting them through one more exercise before sending them off. That kid is never gonna change."

Weiss was slightly upset with the way things were going as of the moment of first impressions for the mechanic, but if Jaune was indeed putting them through one last exercise before sending them off...

"Come with us Mr. Thomson."

The mechanic looked at the Headmistress of Beacon with a confused look on his face, "Why?"

"You're about to meet your chosen protectors."

( Emerald Forest )

"Jaune!"

The white knight winces at the sound of an angry cat behind him. He looks back taking notice the Headmistress with both Blake, Coco, and the mechanic following suit. And out of this party, Blake was not looking happy.

"You were supposed to bring the students to the amphitheater! What are you doing?!"

Jaune raises his hands in a form of defense as he steps back from the black cat before him, "I was on the way to the amphitheater with them, but we caught a pack of Grimm closing in on Beacon and I already had them with me so..."

"So you took them on an extermination job! Really?!"

"It's alright Blake."

The voice of the Headmistress draws the action of everyone in the area, Weiss walks over the knight and hands him a folder of the chosen Teams that will be attending this said mission. As Blake snatches the folder form Jaune, Weiss stands on the edge of the forest, catching the sight of the said Teams dispatching the Grimm. She smiles at the sight and waves her finger at the party calling them to the edge.

"They're only doing the job they decided to pursue. And besides, Coco needs to see the Teams she'll be working them."

The sound of gunfire catches everyone's attention.

( Grimm Infested Area / **Que Song - Doa : Hiroyuki Sawano** )

The sight of Beowolves cover the area, there was currently at least sixteen to twenty-five being led by one Alpha.

However, their numbers were decreased due to the interference of two prized Teams. The sight of facing Grimm was a sight to behold as the party of student huntsmen and huntresses in-training. The sound of a roaring lion can be heard as Grimm are being launched into the air off of brute force alone as she showed off her tonfa skills.

"Come on peasants! I haven't worked up a sweat yet!"

As Zera comes to a halt with four Grimm in front of her, the three said Grimm are quickly dispatched with sniper rounds as the lion takes out the fourth one of which was closest.

Zera looks back with one thumb in the air, "Thanks for the save Bree!"

 _Zera Leafhead, Leader of the freshmen team, Team ZBRA. Though her academic levels could use some work, her pride is easily shown on the battlefield._

In the trees far from the area, Brianna sits in a tree changing the ammo clip on her Eagle Brace, "I would l-l-like it if you w-w-watch herself please."

 _Team ZBRA, Brianna Terla. Her close range capabilities are average at best, but her long range effectiveness and academic levels make-up for it completely.  
_  
Elsewhere in the forest, a squad of Grimm make for the cliff site, over to be quickly dispatched by the sound of flying discs cutting them down by the nab. The discs return to a cloaked Faunus pale skinned girl possessing Bat Ears.

"Argh...Alex, you missed a few."

 _Team ZBRA, Rena Rena. A walking mystery. Haha, much like Blake a time ago..._

 _( JAUNE! )_

 _Right sorry. Her expertise in the huntress trade seems to be a natural talent for her. She can pick up the sound of any target a mile away.  
_  
With that, Grimm make for Rena Rena. However, they stopped by the whistling sound of a green hornet zipping through the air with spear in hand. As the Grimm tumble back to the earth below them, the lancer in question lands next to Rena Rena and takes off his hoodie.

"Sorry Rena, I got a bit held up."

 _Team ZBRA, Alex Lockhart. Kid's got the heart and motivation of a huntsmen. I can see it. But according to Blake, he has a habit of being modest with himself. Too much of a team player._

The sound of quaking earth is heard at the distance away from Rena Rena and Alex. At the waypoint, Grimm are launched into the air by a seven foot giant with a battle axe. The mountain goat looks around his work, rubbing his face with one finger.

"Oops..."

 _Team DARK, Ross Love. Talk about walking giant. underneath his lazy exterior, he is carrying a butt load of power. You just gotta get him going._

"ROSS!"

The looks behind him, swatting away flying Beowolf of which was flung his direction. His eyes catch the sight of his white haired mystic teammate. And she's not happy, "Stop throwing around the Grimm! It's hard enough keeping them in one place as it is!"

 _Team DARK, Kira Tabito. She ranks number one in the class of Aura manipulation. Though, she spends of her time trying to bring order into her team._

Ross just shrugs his shoulder in an apologetic fashion. Before Kira could give him a ear full, the sight of incoming Grimm catches her attention. But in almost an instant, the Grimm seemed to have suddenly launched into the air.

As Kira questioned what happened, the cheerful voice of a certain soaring hyena catches their ears along with the sight of invisible thread clued her in on the apparent suspect.

"~ Yeah! Field Trip!"

As the hyena soars through the trees of the forest, utilizing her threads she catches the Grimm that were making another break for the cliff site. Upon catching the Grimm, the smiling hyena drops from the trees while jerking at the thread web she created. As a result, the threads of which tangled the Grimm gripped on them hard enough to spilt through their skin.

With that, the hyena launches herself back into the trees with a victorious smile on her face, "~ I did it! Five more points for Alice! WOOHOO!"

 _Good luck that one. Team DARK, Alice Vermillion. Her bubbly personality leaves much to question. But one can't question her grades in scientific dust manipulation. Me, myself, I don't wanna get in the way of her threads._

The remaining pack of Grimm charged with the Alpha, chasing Alice in the trees. However, the Alpha launched itself and the remaining pack members into the blade of the one and only Duran Raglan.

Duran heating the edges of his sword, utilizing his speed cuts through the Grimm before him. The Alpha Beowolf dodged his attack only losing an arm. Not paying it any mind, the Alpha charged towards Duran with fangs and claws drawn. To match, Duran dodges the alone swipe. In return, he slices off it's only arm with his sword in almost in instant, then he shifts it into gun mode - Duran places it in it's mouth and opens fire, blowing off it's head.

As the Alpha drops dead at his feet, Duran turns to face the hanging hyena who is chilling in her own thread web with narrowed eyes.

"You led them to me on purpose, didn't you?"

"~ Ah, guilty?"

"ALICE!"

"~ I'm sorry!"

 _Duran Victor Raglan, Leader of Team DARK. He doesn't get along with or attach himself others to an extent. Despite this, he is noted to lookout for his teammates. Though his academic grades being average at best, he displays his apparent natural talents for the huntsmen trade on the battlefield. I'd say he's been trained well before entering the academy._

Zera along with Team ZBRA arrive at the site with Team DARK. She flexes her muscles proud of the workout she had just received taking on this small job.

"Now this is more like it! Bashing down Grimm, action, just enough to get my blood going!"

Brianna chuckles at the lion next to her, "You would find a-a-any reason for sight action."

The rest of team, aside from Rena Rena, snickers at the accusation with Zera looks around for heads to crack at that moment. Alice joined in the laughter from her swinging net upon Kira's scroll started to go off. It was Professor Arc.

"Professor Arc is ready for us guys."

Duran sheathes his sword, placing it on his back. He signs as he calls Alice down from her web net. The two teams make way for the briefing room.

( The Briefing Room )

"These students are charged with my safety?!"

Mr. Thomson flashes his hand out at the two Teams before him, with Alice waving at him in response before Kira drop her hand. Weiss rubs the bridge of her nose to prevent herself from going off on the mechanic before her for he was starting to work the end of her nerve. Fortunately for her, Duran beat her to it.

"You're more than welcome to go back home and request for soldiers to escort you. Bet you'll feel much better as they finally manage to waste Grimm with their third round of bullets."

"Duran!", Kira snaps at Duran's rudeness with Alice next to her performing her trademark snickering.

"Enough Mr. Raglan. Mr. Thomson, I can assure one that these two Teams are top two of their grade, as their academic and performance ratings would show if you bother to read the folder. And to add to your security, you'll have Professors Belladonna and Adel to the students and clear the area of Grimm and make it as safe as possible for you to fix the Tower."

Mr. Thomson looks at the pair of students as he catches Alice noticing his attention and waves at him with a smile on her face, "Are you certain they will protect me?"

Weiss nods her head, "I will admit that they are a bit erratic, but I assure you they will perform to the best of their abilities."

Duran huffs at the Headmistress's statement, to him it was a warning to them to _**not screw this up**_ _ **.**_ Unfortunately, ALice starts by raising her hand, catching Weiss's attention, "Yes, Ms. Vermillion?"

"~ I thought we'd be escorting him to the Tower."

The Headmistress then hands the folder to Blake, who then pressing a few keys on her tablet, brings forth a holographic projection of a Radio Tower on the outskits of Vale. Alice tries to touch the projection only to be brought back by Duran. In turn, she sits and groans as she crosses her arms and drops her ears. Blake shakes her head as she proceeds to explain the mission in general.

"There's been a change in plans Ms. Vermillion. Two months ago, there was a skirmish at the Radio Tower which lies close to the Red Zone of Vale. The skirmish caused Grimm to arrive at the Radio Tower and damage the server in the process, weakening the CCT's long range capabilities. Our scouts reported Grimm still being in the area….."

Duran shrugs his shoulders and looks at the poor mechanic that looks ready to piss himself, "Look on the bright side, the kids aren't escorting you, you pansy."

"MR. RAGLAN!"

Alex raised his hand to get Blake's attention, "Wait a minute, I thought Grimm migrated from place to place. What are they doing still at the Tower?"

Breaking out of his case of terror from Headmistress's wrath, Duran speaks out to answer the question, "Grimm are drawn to negative energy. There most still be energy still be lingering around the Tower."

Rena Rena looks at the projection and back at Duran, though his logic made sense but, "But what kind of skirmish could have erupted so many energy to cause them to stay this long?"

Duran once again speaks with the worst case scenario, "Maybe there's a high grade Alpha there. Alpha's always seem to draw Grimm to them."

"We hope that's not the case."

The gang's attention is drawn back to Blake as she continues the briefing, "There are indeed other reasons for Grimm to stay in one place, but we wish it to not be any of the case."

"Therefore, as a safety measure, we are sending you all will be sent to exterminate the Grimm in the area. Afterwards, you will hold down the Tower until the mechanic arrives to fix the Tower."

With that, Weiss stands from her chair to give off an air of seriousness in the room, and it must be working seeing how Alice lost her usual smile and Alex seemed to gulped down whatever was in his mouth.

"This will indeed be your first important mission to date. I chose your Team's off of performance and academic levels. I hope that you show me that I wasn't mistaken."

Team DARK and ZBRA look about each other and the Professors. This was clearly a serious matter. The CCT being weakened was bad enough, but what would happen if anything were to happen during it's current state. It needed to be repaired and the only mechanic Atlas sent them was one with zero combat experience. They knew they had to be at their best for this mission. They look back at the Headmistress and nodded in a form of understanding.

Weiss smiles at her students and continues with the final briefing, "You all will be taking flight two hours past noon at the airship docks, sharp. Take this time to rest and look over your equipment. You're dismissed."

With the Weiss along with the mechanic and the two professors leave the room to the two Teams.

( Team DARK Room )

"~ Do I need to take shampoo?"

"We'll be in the woods Alice."

"~ Drat!"

Alice angry puts away the shampoo she had wanted to pack as the other members perform standard maintenance on their equipment as well as brace themselves for the mission. As Duran gets back on the phone with the extremely worried foster mother, Kira finishes her book for the day and looks at the overly excited hyena.

"You do know that we only need to take what we NEED and not what we WANT, right?"

Alice looks at Kira as she shoves a teddy bear in her bag with a grin on her face, "I know silly. That's why I made a list of the things I need before hand."

"You made a WHAT?!"

Duran after hearing Grace's sobbing prayers, finally hangs up the scroll and looks around the room, catching the sight of his teammates he'll be in charge of protecting on the coming objective. Ross rises from his meditation to notice Duran, feeling his sense of worry.

"Don't worry about things so soon."

Duran turns to face the giant still sitting in his spot of the room, "If you worry about things that will come in future events, you can't focus on what's in front of you."

Duran huffs at Ross's statement and proceeds to check on his sword. In the middle of it, Duran reaches into his neck scarf and pulls out the silver necklace from back then. He pops open the necklace, revealing a picture of a young woman with long crimson red hair, she is smiling as she holds onto a laughing young boy with the same colored hair.

" _Well, here I go…."_

( Team ZBRA Room )

"Zera, is doing push-ups r-r-really necessary?"

"Push-ups...Oof….are always….Oof…..necessary!"

"All you're doing is building up unnecessary sweat."

" **HOW DARE YOU CALL PUSH-UPS UNNECESSARY!** "

Zera does push-ups in the room to ready herself for the upcoming mission her team is about to undertake along with Team DARK. Unfortunately, her teammates aren't sharing the same level of importance for push-ups as they are making their own levels of preparations, which includes Rena Rena just reading a book Professor Belladonna gave to her sometime ago.

As Zera lashes on Rena Rena for _**mocking push-ups**_ , Brianna is making extra modifications to her Eagle Brace Rifle while Alex is looking over his Spear. After deeming his spear safe, Alex shifts it into sheath mode and places it on his back as he sits and watches over everyone else.

He doesn't want to admit it, but Alex is nervous about this mission. Actually, this is his first big mission. Sure this is what he was training for, but could he actually pull through with it and keep everyone else save?

He takes out his scroll and starts playing "Grimm Hunters" to take his mind off the mental topic. Only to have it snatched out of his hands by his team leader.

"Listen up, short stack! Now is not the time for gaming! Listen up, everyone"

"Huh?", all Alex could do was look at Zera prideful grin as she attempts to boost the air of confidence of everyone in the room. Rena Rena just rolls her eyes at Zera's unnecessary upcoming speech.

"For too long our allied team, Team DARK, has always had the head start of us! Now is our time to shine! Who's with me?!"

As Zera pumps her fist in the air, Alex and Brianna could only stare astonished as Rena Rena had block out everything entirely. They could have Alice shouting from the other side of the hall. Alex couldn't help but laugh at it all.

Their attention is drawn to Professor Belladonna's voice as she calls out to the two teams on the intercom, "Would Teams DARK and ZBRA, please make their way to the airship docks for departer?"

With that, Team ZBRA readying themselves completely, meet up with Team DARK and head to the air docks.

( New Beacon Academy / Air Docks )

"Take care of yourself."

"Okay Velvet."

"Please come back safely!"

"Love look at me. I'll be fine okay. I'll have Blake and the freshmen with me."

"That's not helping!"

The two teams arrive at the air docks to witness Professor Scarlatina embrace Professor Adel in what appears to be a bear hug of intense worry. As Alice claims " _she called it"_ , their attention is drawn to Professor Belladonna standing by the airship that will be dropping them off close to their primary destination. After releasing herself from Velvet's grip, Coco makes her way to Blake and stands next to her in front of the two Teams.

Coco brings her shades down to the bridge of her nose to examine the two Teams in front of her up close, taking notice into Alice's ponytail. But then she stops at Duran eyeing him up and down before stepping up to him, "You."

Duran leans back as Coco leans in on him, quite confused into her sudden interest in him, "Can I help you?"

Coco then takes off her glasses, revealing a scar on her right eye, seemingly result in a dead eye color. She homes in on Duran, almost as if she was on a personal mission.

"No. But looking at your choice in clothing, it looks like I can help you."

"Excuse me?"

Alice laughs at what just transpired with the dumbfounded team leader. Even Kira couldn't help but release a few chuckles of her own.

"~ See! I told you!"

Blake steps up towards the two teams in front of her, clearing her throat in order to catch everyone's attention from one of Coco's antics.

"We'll be taking flight in a few moments. Are there any last questions you like to ask?"

Alice looks at the airship and back at Blake, "~Will this be taking us all the way to the Radio Tower?"

Blake sighs at the hyena in front of her as Coco chuckles at the innocentness. Blake raises her head to answer the question, "No Alice, due to the Griffons in the area, it would be dangerous to take a complete flight to the Radio Tower. Therefore, we're being dropped off at a clear zone and will proceed to make our way there by foot."

Duran looks back at the Airship and back to Blake who is standing in front of party, "This is gonna drop us in the clear zone and we have to go into the Grimm Zone on foot? How is the mechanic gonna get there?"

"Once we clear out the Grimm at the Radio Tower, he'll be brought to us through airship carrier."

Blake looks at her band of students, if the intel was right and there is a High Level Alpha at the Radio Tower….

She has to ensure their protection.

Upon hearing the airship engines starting, on Blake's command - the party enter the airship, leaving New Beacon Academy behind for a time to take on the mission to secure the Radio Tower Server.


	15. Chapter 13 : The Cross Zone

**-RWBY Fables Chapter 13 : The Cross Zone-**

( Hours Later / The Airship Carrier )

"~Can I try on your glasses?"

"Sorry kid. I'm protective of these."

"~Why?! I'll be careful with them! I promise!"

"Alice, come here."

Only thirty minutes have past on their flight to the clear zone and already Alice is bothering Professor Adel to have Duran call her to his side of the airship. Though in Alice's defense, Coco didn't mind her company. Alice happily walks over next to him as Kira groans at the lack of seriousness from her teammate as well as the fact that Alice **JUST** bought glasses last week for no reason. Ross, on the other hand, is just sitting down in one of the chairs taking a nap before they reach their destination.

On Team ZBRA's side of the carrier, Alex is currently playing "Grimm Hunter" on his scroll while Rena Rena sits next to him reading a book. Occasionally drawn to a certain sound of a sick lion in a corner.

"Oof. Let me off this metal bird."

"There there, Zera. We're almost there."

Zera, on the other hand, is in a corner tensed up with Brianna rubbing her shoulders trying to make her relax. It looks to be like she gets some form of motion sickness from flying on airship. Alex does recall when Zera said she take a boat ride and a train to get to New Beacon.

Duran makes a mental note of that for later uses.

Blake observes her students during the flight, unsure what to think about their current behavior. They were on a mission and they're seriously taking it a form of easy. Coco kicks back and enjoys the flight as she looks at the cat next to her, noting her mental situation. The renown Fashion Queen sighs as she earns the attention of her fellow instructor.

"Can you relax for a bit? I'm sure they'll be fine. I mean, they have us with them don't you think."

Blake groans at Coco form of request, "They are currently on a mission they might not make it back from, and they taking it easy to the point which Alice is officially starting counting out the birds we past."

Coco chuckles at Blake's level of caution, to her this cat hasn't changed one bit. Always overstressing herself over matters of which are sometimes in their control. In a teasing gesture, Coco reaches over and rubs one of Blake's exposed ears, "There there, little kitten. Don't overstress yourself." Of course, Blake retaliates by swiping Coco's hand away with a bashful, but bothered, look on her face. Blake turns to face Coco and points at her and roars with a hiss in her voice, **"Don't! Do That!"**

This earns the attention of the two teams as the watched their usually quiet professor become emotionally embarrassed just from having her ears rubbed. Blake quickly gets up and walks to the pilot avoiding eye contact with her students, still feeling their eyes watch her leave.

Alice feels up her ears as a result and looks at Duran, "~ How come you never rub my ears like that?!"

"...I'm sorry, what?!"

After a few moments Coco's inner laughter at the students and Blake, Alice looked out of the window and noticed something, "Professor Adel."

"Huh?"

"Why does one half of the city look different than the other?"

Duran shakes his head as he begins to answer Alice's question, " You recall the Battle of Beacon, right?"

Alice nods her head, "Yup."

"Did you really think it was gonna take a day to rebuild everything the Grimm touched that day? It took ten years or known now as "The Ten Year Reconstruction" to rebuild Beacon Academy with the aid of the Famous Glynda Goodwitch. Despite this, the city of Vale has only repair it's enough to be separated into two sections so far. The population of the city reside in the inner walls, while the outer section are mainly huntsmen clearing out the Grimm to continue the reconstruction of the other half of the city."

Kira looks at Duran as she eyes the city of Vale a bit, she has indeed heard of the Battle of Beacon, but she didn't imagine that they were hit this hit. If it took them ten years in rebuild Beacon and the inner walls, it would properly take them….years more to fully rebuild the city. Eventually the mission of reclaiming the Tower is starting to make sense to her.

Blake eventually returns with her regained composure and addresses the message to the party, "We'll be landing in five once we arrive at the clear zone, we'll immediately make for the Radio Tower. Being this far away from the academy is already weakening transmission with them."

The gang nods at Blake's orders and preps themselves for combat.

( Moments Later in the Clear Zone )

"Oh sweet mother earth! How I have missed your grace!"

The Airship drops down onto the Clear Zone of which had been clean of Grimm allowing a safe drop point. Zera is the first to rush off, kissing the dirt beneath her feet with Brianna patting her back. Blake shakes her head at Zera's apparent airsickness which reminded her of Jaune a long times past when his airsickness still bothered him. With everyone armed in front of her, Blake feels the need to remind everyone of the objective as Zera wobbles to the group while glaring at a smirking Duran and the giggling Alice.

Blake points to the Radio Tower that's clearly a good couple hours away.

"That's our destination guys. And you can seeing some griffons flying about. Our objective is to clear out the Grimm in the area and hold the fort for the mechanic to arrive."

Alice homes in on the Tower, twitching her ears to the sound of roaring griffons at the distance. That Tower looked...pretty far to her, not that she minded a good walk. But she had to ask, "~How long of a walk is it?"

Rena Rena stares at the Tower at the distance, "Through the Red Zone - give or take, I say at least a good day's walk if we don't run into any Grimm along the way. And that's wishful thinking."

"Great…"

Ignoring Ross, Blake knowing they had no time to waste, informs them of the plan of action to get to the Tower, "We'll be transverse through the edge of the Red Zone to evade the major herd of the Grimm. We're gonna have to increase the time distance to that good day's walk Rena Rena."

"That's even more great…."

Everyone looks at Ross after his lazy comment. This was gonna be a long walk for Blake. She could see it.

( New Beacon Academy : Headmistresses Office )

Weiss had returned to her office after having to entertain the mechanic as she explained to him the changes in requested plans. Instead of having her students risk tooth and nail into escorting him to the Radio Tower, she had told him she had sent two teams to exterminate the Grimm in the area and will have a third team travel with him in a Airship Carrier. Much to say, he didn't like the fact that Weiss changed the plans without his consent.

But as she explained to him as she put it as clearly as possible - " **The safety of my students are the same as the safety of the people I govern. I will do what is necessary to ensure their protection above anything else, including you."**

It seemed clear enough seeing how upset he got.

She is brought out of her train of thought as her private scroll started to ring. As she pick up the scroll, she immediately regretted picking up.

 **Ah….Hey Weiss. Calling to report.**

As if her day wasn't stressful enough sending countless students on respectable missions involving life and death. He now decides to call in.

"Sun. You have two minutes before I put Blake on group call."

 **Woah! Hey! Let's not get hasty now!**

Weiss slams her fist on the desk loud enough for Sun to actually hear it on the other line, "SUN! You have….One Job! Give us information! Which is a job you begged for no less! You have went dark on us for months now with no way to reach you!"

 **Hear me out for a second! Yes, I went dark for a while. But, I got to close and I almost got caught! I had to go dark for a while, I didn't think it'd be this long! But, trust me, you'll love what I have to offer.**

 _Wait, Sun was almost caught to the point of going dark for a while?_

Sun was…..something, but he wasn't helpless. What could have been dangerous enough to have Sun of all people go into hiding? She would expected that out of someone like Blake, but Sun. Weiss was interested in whatever information Sun had at the moment.

"What do you have Sun?"

 **Merlot's dead.**

Weiss sat in her chair in silence for a moment, processing what Sun just said on the line, "What did you just say?"

 **Yeah. I paid one of his former scientists a visit. It turns out that he died in that explosion when you and Team JNPR attacked his stronghold all those years ago.**

"But I have sources indicating that manmade Grimm were being made! How is that possible?", Though in a astonished panic, Weiss was careful not to mention Ruby to Sun. But, if Merlot is dead according to Sun, then who is making Grimm? Who's enhancing the Grimm?

 **That's why I looked into the destroyed facility. Merlot's research or his equipment wasn't there.**

"Are you telling me that someone else is using his research to create Grimm? For what purpose?"

 **I don't know the answer to that question yet. As I looked into the facility, someone was already there. Much to say, they had a lot of power and did not want me there. I took off and went into hiding, I didn't want my cover blown or your involvement noted.**

Grant this left Weiss with more questions than answers, but it was some info to work with.

"I want you to continue your search and look into this. And I WANT you to keep us posted!"

 **Got it. Agent Sun, out.**

Weiss groans as she hangs up her scroll and leans back into her chair, in a train of thought of the information she had been given. Merlots dead, someone else is using his research to create Grimm. It sounds like they had destroyed one evil now another one seems to be taking it's place. And they have no idea who it is.

Weiss looks at the Team RWBY photo she keeps on her desk and looks at Yang's side of the picture.

" _Dammit Yang, now is not the time for you not to be here."_

Weiss tries to call Blake, but the transmission failed. She sits in her chair worried, but comes to realize. Even if she out of the safe zone of the city, her scroll should be working. They can't be that out of range of the city.

" _What exactly is going on?"_

( Grimm Area / Radio Tower Area )

"Alice, will you stop humming?"

"~ Oh, sorry. Thinking of my favorite song for a bit."

The party make their way to the Radio Tower, encountering forces of Grimm along the way. It is starting to get dark a bit and they are currently walking through the forest of the Grimm Zone with their weapons at their sides. Alice was humming her favorite song...The Chain, they thought it was? However, Kira feeling like she had dealt with enough Grimm, politely asked her to stop. And seeing how the others didn't mind much for the humming, a few just looked at Kira with the expression of either "Really?" or "What's your problem?".

Coco couldn't help but lean into Blake, "That one kind of reminds me of Ms. Goodwitch."

Blake couldn't help but shake her head at Coco's statement, but at the same time she couldn't help as also agree with her. At that moment, Alice rushed past Blake and Coco. Blake reached out to her attempting to call her back, "Alice! Where are you going? Come back!"

The hyena stops on top of a fence and looks off at the distance, then points in a certain direction, looking back at the party, "What's that over there?"

Blake walks over to Alice's standpoint and looks over in the direction she's pointing, noticing a small village distance in their path. She catches Rena Rena arriving at the standpoint and stares into the distance, seeming like she is focusing her ears onto the village.

"That's less than a mile walk. And aside from the apparent Grimm in the area, it sounds abandoned."

"~How do you know it's abandoned?"

Rena Rena looks at Alice upon hearing the question and points to the Bat Ears on her head, "My semblance allows me to focus my hearing on a specific sound or area while drowning out surrounding noises."

Alice's own ears twitches with excitement, "~That's Neat!"

"And useful…."

The two turn to face Blake who is drawing her sword. She turns back and faces the rest of party, "We'll clear the area of Grimm over in that village and set up camp there for the evening."

( Abandoned Village )

They arrive at the village to scout the area of Grimm before setting camp. Duran walks into a house with his sword in hand cannon mode. The house in question is in ruin - destroyed walls, cracking floorboards, torn picture frames. A part of him could only hope that the residents of the house escaped before the Grimm invaded. In the mists of wandering through the house, Duran couldn't help but think about -

In the process of his own thoughts, the sound of cracking wood catches his attention behind the door leading to the kitchen.

He slowly opens the door to catch Professor Belladonna in his sights. He walks through the door as Blake already knew of his presence.

"Anything?"

Duran looks Blake's direction to answer, "Nothing so far. House looks ruined, looks like they might have escaped. But that's hopeful thinking."

Blake looks around the area, making a mental note that Duran is not one for wishful thinking. The two catches the sound rustling from the backyard. They look outside the window to notice three Beowolves prowling the area. Blake instructs Duran to take out the one on the left while she dealt with the two on the right. And of course, Duran retaliates.

"Why am I left with that one?"

Blake looks at her red-headed student in training with narrowed eyes, almost as if she was piercing into his soul, "Are you really challenging me on this?"

"I can take three of them out easy. There's no point into both of us going in."

"Duran, what was the one thing I teach the class endlessly."

Duran groans under his breath, by the time they finish this conversation, the Grimm be gone, "Cooperation with the team. But there's really no need - "

"Good. Now let's go."

With that, Blake leads the assault on the Grimm in the backyard with the…..assistance of Duran. After dispatching the Beowolves, Blake surveys the area once more, considering the western area most of secure, she informs Coco of the decided campsite. Getting off the scroll with Coco, she eyes Duran who is staring at the ruined household.

"Mr. Raglan, are you alright?"

Duran snaps out of his train of thought and shakes his head, "It's nothing to worry about. Will we been camping in this house tonight."

Blake looks back at the house, "It seems stable enough. We'll have to take turns keeping watch while the others sleep."

"I suppose I'll have Alice make a perimeter watch with her threads."

With that Duran walks away in search for the hyena of the party. As Blake ponders the thought of joy that girl will have thinking Duran had been looking for her, she couldn't help but worry about Duran's condition. Sure, there are those who become dishearted by looking at a destroyed village; but to Blake, it looked like Duran was in a trance of remembrance.

( Coco and Blake )

Coco looks back at the flailing Kira and back at Blake after noticing Duran starting to walk over, "Looks like your favorite student is coming over. You have everyone under your thumb these days?"

Blake groans at Coco's statement after looking Duran leave his camp circle. Indeed, after his team's run in with the Troika, she had been tasked with properly training him along with Alex, but it's not enough to call him her favorite. He had shown expert growth in Beacon Academy and is slowly relying on others. Though slowly is kind of putting it mildly. But it would appear that he had several more problems to work out of. Hopefully this mission will help him that.

Now back to the statement at hand.

"I don't know what you're implying, but I don't pick favorites."

Coco teasingly nods her head at Blake's defense, "Right."

After Duran's arrival, Blake instructs him to skin the deer and ready the camp fire. In the while, Coco observes the others at the party circle, taking in notes of their behavior. It was like watching their past selves take on their first mission. Coco kind of enjoyed the scene. She only worries how long it would last.

She misses them both. Both Fox and Yatsuhashi.

( Later that evening )

"~Can we sing a campfire song?"

" **NO!"**

It was officially dark outside, Alice's request to lighten the mood was quickly shattered by the group's lack of interest for the campfire song. As Alice lays her ears down in a disappointed pouting gesture, everyone goes back to their deer meat Duran had expertly cooked well. Much to their surprise. Kira made mental notes of that when the student kitchen area was repaired in the lounge area. Zera returns from her shift of night watch, rubbing her head to rid herself of the boredom she had just endured.

"Who's eating without me?"

Rena Rena shakes her head at Zera's question, "We saved you some before you ask."

Blake swallows her last bit of deer meat and calls the party to attention. They had to wake up early to make it the Radio Tower before noon. She also had to ensure that the night guard was secure with their duties. She had Alice's threads forming a perimeter and Rena Rena's super hearing, so that took off some of the worry a bit. But that didn't mean that someone didn't have to stand guard.

"Duran, I believe it's your turn to stand guard."

Without argument this time, Duran takes out his Crimson Spiral and takes off upstairs as Alice watches him leave.

"Alright everyone, to your sleeping bags. We're up with an early start to the Radio Tower.". With that, everyone heads for their sleeping areas. Alice takes this time to remember something important.

"Ah, Professor Belladonna. Ross's snoring isn't gonna be a problem, is it?"

Everyone in the area looks at the giant mountain goat, who is confused with everyone expressions. Blake could just look at Ross as Zera launches into her backpack, looking for her scroll and headphones.

" **Oh Hell No!"**

( Hours Later )

Duran keeps watch in the destroyed room upstairs, spotting two Beowolves at least as he didn't claim them to be a threat. He takes this time to take out his silver necklace out of his red scarf to look at it, not noticing Kira approaching him for behind.

"Haven't seen that in a while."

Duran turns to face the approaching Kira as she comes from downstairs. He groans as accepts defeat as he allows her company, "It's not something I can just take out when I want. What are you doing up?"

"I guess I could say that I came to check on you a bit. As for why I'm awake, Professor Belladonna said to not use our headphones to block out Ross's snoring and he just started up."

"What is THAT?!"

"Is it HIM?!"

Duran nods as Kira sits in a spot beside him after hearing the commotion, mentally noting the sad saps downstairs with the snoring behemoth. Team DARK had the front of it in the bedroom at night, this will be their first night with him and already it sounds like Zera is gonna kill him. Kira looks for the necklace he had just put away, but doesn't dig into it.

"You know, there not many places to see the moon like this back in Atlas."

"I wouldn't doubt it."

Duran looks at the Shattered Moon fully lit above their heads. He recalls the small island he used to live on where every full Moon night he could see the moon just like this. He thought of someone for just a second causing him to shake his head to exit his train of thoughts. This catches Kira's attention but she doesn't look into it.

"Head down."

Duran turns to face Kira as she unsheathes her Wisdom Tide, "You look tired and need sleep just as much as the rest of us. I'll take over for a bit until Rena Rena wakes up."

Duran waves at Kira signaling to the stairs, "I'm fine, no need to tire yourself out - "

Duran is silenced by Kira glare that almost pierced his soul. what is with women glaring at him? With that, Duran rises from his spot after bidding her a goodnight, and proceeds downstairs. Above watching the scene is Blake Belladonna, taking it upon herself to watch the party in the night. It's not like she sleeps all the time anyway.

( The Next Morning )

"~ ….And I began to run down this hallway that kept getting longer. The picture frames falling each time I passed one."

"That's great."

The party wake to proceed to the Radio Tower, though Zera had to be moved away from Ross cause she tried to kill him in his sleep. They continue down the path until something catches Duran's sight, he looks up at the sky ahead of him and points his sword out, "What's that?"

The look ahead the direction he was pointing and noticing numerous Griffons flying about. Blake rushes to a clear sighting point to find the cause. The party follows suit finding it difficult to keep up with her speed. She stops at a cliff site and looks out in the distance. The party eventually caught up to Blake to witness a….difficult sight.

In the distance was the Radio Tower they had been sent to clear.

But there was more Grimm than reported. The Radio Tower was close to being overrun. It's becoming a Grimm Nest.


End file.
